Hiding in the Shadows
by thatonegreenpencil
Summary: Every traitor deserves to be punished. But what if that traitor is someone you're close to? Rated T for blood.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything expect my computer, notebook, and crazy ideas.**

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><p>?'s POV<p>

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. The phrase repeats in my mind everyday.

I'm getting sick of it all, betraying all the people close to me, lying to the ones I call 'friends'. I didn't want to join. I didn't want to kill. But I had no choice. They would be after everyone close. They would kill every one of the people I know and love…

I had gotten close to him. _Very_ close. But he never even suspected. Of course, he had his doubts when I first met him, but now, he trusts me completely.

Even after he declared there was a traitor somewhere, he hadn't even glanced at me. It was touching, how he trusted me, but I wish he didn't trust me that much. I wish he wasn't a nice person, so he could suspect me. So he could find out, and everything would be over.

If he hated me… that was my fault. I should've told him from the start. But, I couldn't. I…guess I wanted a friend, someone like me to be close to. How I wish I wasn't so good at my job, how I wasn't so skilled. I would've never found him then.

When I took that bullet from him, I don't know what came over me. I had a mission and I needed to complete it. But he had grown to be my friend. I couldn't let him die, could I? At least it was all a dream. I would already been dead if it wasn't.

The pain is unbearable. But again, all traitors die in agony, right? That's the way the world worked. The world would know me as the traitor that was a friend. But the Black Organization would know me as the loyal agent…

Bourbon.

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><p><strong>AN Yes, I know I'm supposed to be working on my other stories, but this idea wouldn't leave me alone. I haven't seen a lot of Bourbon fics here, so I thought I would post one. Review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N Fast update! A bit short though. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own Detective Conan!... Not.**

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><p>Conan sat up in his futon, blinking rapidly. He rubbed his eyes and checked the clock beside him.<p>

"_Seven AM…"_ Yawning, he lazily made his way to the kitchen, putting on his glasses.

"Morning Ran-nee-"he stopped short when he saw the empty kitchen.

"_Maybe she's still sleeping?"_

Walking a bit faster, he went up to Ran's room and knocked on the door.

"Ran-neechan? Ran-neechan?"

Shaking, he turned the knob and peeked in. "Ran-neechan?"

Nothing.

The boy hurriedly put on a t-shirt and jeans, snatching his cell phone as he rushed out the front door. He crossed the street to Agasa-hakase's house and rang the doorbell.

"Agasa-hakase! Haibara!" he pounded his fists on the door, just to find it open.

With a hand on his stun-watch, he slowly walked inside the empty building, taking every step with caution. Little did he know, a figure was slowly approaching him from the shadows.

When the figure was right behind him, he whirled around just in time to see the figure smile and take out a gun.

Conan had shock written all over his face as the figure in black came closer, aiming his/her gun at him…

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><p><strong>AN Because I like to torture you, I shall stop there.**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N Another fast update. Seriously, the ideas won't stop coming! School is starting this week…**

**I plan to make this story about 20 to 30 chapters. Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I. DON'T. OWN. IT.**

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><p>"…Okaasan?"<p>

The figure took off the mask to reveal long, swirling lock of hair and a beautiful face. "That's right!" Yukiko trilled and pulled the trigger on the gun… Just to make it squirt water at Conan's face.

Conan, on the other hand, looked very annoyed with his mother. "You nearly scared me half to death!"

Another person stepped out of the shadows. "Hello Shin-chan."

Conan facepalmed. "Otou-san? You're here too?"

Yukiko giggled. "Of course! I can't believe you fell for the same trick twice!"

"You can't blame me; I'm more jumpy since the Black Organization attack. He shuddered mentally, remembering the horrible day when Takagi-keiji was shot while trying to locate a bomb inside a hospital. He was currently in coma, Sato-keiji refusing to leave his side. "Why are you even here?"

"We heard about the incident and rushed over." His father replied. "You still want to stay here?"

Seeing his son's determined expression, Yusaku sighed and shook his head. Kneeling, he motioned Shinichi over and whispered, "Sometimes the trouble is within the lines Shinichi. You just have to find it." He winked and motioned for Yukiko to leave while calling over his shoulder "We'll be at our house!"

Conan figured himself lucky, as Okiya had left the house two days ago, on the day of the incident.

"He probably left after being called by Anokata, Kudo-kun."

"Haibara." He greeted her. "Why didn't you answer at the door? Where's Hakase?"

The young scientist smirked. "In answer to your first question, it was a favor of your parents. Also, you look funny when you have that outraged expression all over your face." Pleased at Conan's reaction, she went on. "Hakase is at a science convention out of Tokyo."

"Did… My parents plan this from the start?"

Ai gave Conan one of her innocent shrugs. "Maybe."

As Ai watched Conan grumbling to himself, she felt a pang in her heart for what she was about to do. How she would hurt him, how she would rip his heart to shreds…

"_I'm sorry Kudo-kun."_

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><p>A person sat in front of a computer, hurriedly typing away, eyes not leaving the screen for an instant. The face was unrecognizable for it was hidden in the shadows. It jumped when the device chimed, 'You have mail!'<p>

Hands shaking, it clicked on the email. Written on it were three words.

"Kill Kudo Shinichi."

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><p><strong>AN And… I leave off with a cliffy. XD**

**Someone PM-ed me, asking what time this takes place. I can only say this takes place around the time of the London Arc. Of course, the London arc and everything after that didn't happen/doesn't happen. This chapter takes place before the Prologue. Confusing, I know.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N I'm sorry readers and reviewers! I'm desperately trying to make these chapters longer.**

**This chapter goes to Kakashikrazy256 for reviewing on every chapter. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: DC belongs to Gosho who I am not.**

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><p>"Hey K-Conan-kun!"<p>

"Heiji-neechan?"

It was two days after Yusaku and Yukiko arrived in Japan. Just another normal day (as usual) which involved Kogoro getting kicked out of the house, Ran breaking two pots, and various holes in the walls. Until, it had been normal until a certain Osakan detective showed up.

Breezily, he came in and ruffled the little boy's hair. Grinning at his expression, he went over to the kitchen where Ran was making food.

"Hattori-kun! What a surprise! How have you been? How's Kazuha?"

"Both me and Kazuha's been fine. How were _you_? I heard that you were at the explosion four days ago…"

"Can I tell Heiji-neechan about it? Please please _please?_" Conan chirped, deciding it was the perfect time to interrupt.

"Sure Conan-kun. Hattori-kun, have you had dinner yet? We can set the table for another person…"

He waved the suggestion of. "It's okay neechan, I already ate."

Conan led Heiji to the office, and making sure that Ran was occupied, he quickly reverted to, as Heiji sometimes called it, Shinichi-mode.

"Why are you here Hattori?" said Conan with a cross face. "You must have a reason."

"Aww, what better reason than to see his best friend?" After seeing that he was serious, Heiji cleared his throat and continued, "Well, my otou-san had to come to Tokyo to visit come relatives, so I thought I would tag along to hear about the bombing incident from you…"

Shinichi frowned. "That's it?"

"Yep!"

Shinichi turned away "Okay then, where's Kazuha?"

Was that… guilt flashing on his face? "I… ditched her. I could tell that it was done by _Them_ so I didn't want her to tag along…"

"_That explains it then. I would've done the same. That was the reason I guess." _Oh, well, are you going to be staying for awhile?

"Probably. A few days, a week at the most."

Conan snorted. "You miss too much school, you know that?"

"But somehow, I'm still one of the best in the class." Heiji shrugged. "Now tell me what happened, cuz I've got something for you."

After Conan was finished explaining, Heiji fished a small, dark object out of his pocket and handed it to Conan.

"What's this?"

Heiji shrugged. "I dunno. It was found at the crime scene three days ago. I was hoping you could bring it to your Hakase."

"You're out of luck Hattori; he's out for another two days. And," he continued when Heiji opened his mouth, "Haibara is an expert on poison. She can't help you there."

Heiji closed his mouth and became lost in thought.

"…Hattori, are you hiding something?"

Wordlessly, Heiji brought out another item and placed it on the table. "It was found near the other item." Heiji said, looking away.

It was a small pill about the size of a fingernail. It was covered with dirt and ash, but you could still barely see the small words inscribed on it. With the utmost care, Conan wiped away the dirt and blew off the ash from it. After reading the words, he almost dropped the pill in surprise and anger. _"We found it… We found it…"_

Written on the little drug, were the words 'Apotoxin 4869'.

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><p>Gin paced back and forth angrily on the parking lot. "You <em>lost it<em>?"

Vodka looked uncomfortable between the two members, one of them who carried a gun, another who had no gun, but whose anger could kill a thousand men.

Kir glared back at him. "Well I'm _sorry_ I'm not perfect." She flashed her head back to him angrily.

"To be in the organization, you have to be."

Vodka cleared his throat. "There's a c-"

"Shut up, both of you!" Kir snapped.

Surprisingly, they all went silent. There were a distant sound of police cars echoing in the cold, freezing air of autumn.

"Escape. We'll continue this later."

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><p><strong>AN I hope this was long enough. *wishes she had better writing skills***

**I sometimes alternate between calling Conan 'Conan' and 'Shinichi'. Sorry about that. I'll make sure the chapters get longer. Promise!**

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N School started today. It's such a pain… I'll try to write as much as possible, so once a week at the least! And I bet it's pretty obvious who Bourbon is… Thank you all for reading/reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: MWAHAHAHAHA (clearly you can see I am too crazy to be the creator of Detective Conan.)**

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><p>"Haibara! Haibara! Hai-"<p>

"What's all this about, Kudo-kun?"

Haibara wasn't pleased when Conan disrupted her research. And she was _defiantly_ not pleased when she saw him, drenched in sweat and out of breath. Haibara raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me why you're drenched in sweat?"

Conan grabbed the arm of the sofa, leaning on it for support. "Had to- Check something- First-"

"Well, if you're just going to stand there, panting away, I'll just get back to my-"

"WAIT!"

Haibara jumped at the fierceness of the voice. She met his eyes, just to find them burning with determination and… excitement?

"I found… I found…"

"_This." _

He extended his palm towards her, grasping something. He gently opened it and there lay a pill.

Apotoxin4869 to be exact.

Haibara's eyes grew wide. But instead of jumping up and down in excitement, she slapped it out of his hand.

With a movement that was almost not human, he snatched the drug up before it reached the ground and cradled it in his palm. "What the hell was _that_ for?"

Haibara's eyes were ice-cold. Not just 'cold', but as in 'could start an ice age' cold. "Where… Did you find that?" Her voice was hard, and held hints of disgust.

"Aren't… You happy?" Conan mind-face palmed himself. _"Haibara's almost never happy…"_

"Happy? _Happy?_" She let out an insane laugh.

"_I'm guessing asking that was a bad idea."_

"How can I be _happy_ when this is an obvious trap? I thought you'd be more tactful that that, Kudo-kun? The organization is _very_ careful. They never leave a trace of _anything._"

"They might've made a mistake-"

"Do you know what their catchphrase is Kudo-kun?" Haibara got up close in Conan's face and hissed, "_Never leave a trace. _This means they know that you're a child. Are you happy?"

Conan pushed her away. "It can't have been. Hattori's the one who picked it up, not me."

Haibara was dumbfounded for a fraction of a second. "Where did he find it?"

Conan shrugged. "Ask him. He said he found it near the bomb area, nothing specific."

Haibara extended a hand. "Give it to me."

"So what, you can throw it in the trash first chance you get? No chance." Conan snorted.

"I swear I won't. And besides, what use do you have for it anyways?"

Unable to find an answer, Conan gave the drug to her. She acted like it was a bomb, handling it very gently and looking like she wanted to run away from it.

He followed her into the dark lab. Conan shivered slightly as a cold breeze nipped his skin. He looked around, realizing there was not much heating or lighting in the lab. "Aren't you cold down here?"

She didn't answer, more concentrated on balancing the pill on a large machine. Turning on some switches, she began to type data down on the computer, sometimes stealing a glance at the pill.

"… My father told me something peculiar."

Haibara didn't speak, but a tiny nod told Conan she had heard him.

"He said that sometimes the trouble is within the lines. Do you think… He was referring to Bourbon?"

Haibara stiffened, but continued to type. (Maybe a bit more rapidly?)

Conan went on. "You believe Okiya is Bourbon, right? Well, why did he leave then? It's obvious that he-"

"Kudo-kun."

"-so why then? I mean it's like-"

"_Kudo-kun."_

"-and think of all the possibilities that brings. I mean, it's not much but-"

"MY SISTER KNEW HIM, ALRIGHT?"

Conan's voice faltered, but part of him was pleased to get the reaction he was hoping for.

"Haibara-"

Haibara took a deep breath and paused her work, turning her head away from the screen.

"My sister… knew Bourbon. She had… ties you could say, within the organization. Of course, he never revealed his name, but she wrote some… interesting things about him in her journal."

"Why do you suspect Okiya?"

"He fits the description. An intelligent figure, always in the shadows, watching, waiting."

Conan nodded, understanding. "Well, I'll let you get back to your work then. How long will this take?"

Haibara returned to her normal 'research' position. "About five days, two weeks tops."

Conan nodded and turned to leave.

"And Kudo-kun!" Conan turned his head, eyes questioning.

"This could've been a trap, or a real mistake. Or maybe-"

"-someone stole the APTX and left it there."

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><p>Anokata smiled at the new email he had gotten. Writing a quick reply, he closed the laptop and sighed.<p>

"_Another traitor…"_

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><p><strong>AN Longest chapter so far! I'll probably update again sometime this week. Bye!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N Another kind of long chapter! School was canceled because of flooding, so I wrote this!**

**Chelseaj500- Thanks for the review! Here's the theory I found on the DCTP forums. **

'**What if Bourbon was a member before (like a junior) but just got his codename now? Kir probably wasn't involved with the junior members, so would think that he joined instead of moving up a rank.' (Not quoted directly, but close enough.)**

**So I'm basing this story off of that theory.**

**Disclaimer: Thy should know that thee does not own Detective Conan. *gets shot for bad medieval speech***

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><p>Heiji shuffled his feet, feeling out of place at the little 'meeting' Shinichi had decided to call at the Kudo Mansion. He was the only teenager there (not including the chibi-tantei) and was the only one in the room that <em>wasn't<em> glaring at others. The atmosphere was tense, and there was a feeling that something could break any second.

It was five days after the bombing incident.

Yukiko shot (yet again) another murderous look at Haibara. "What do you mean _you can't risk it_? Our little Shinichi has a chance to go back to normal; he should take it!"

Seeing the flare in those usually cold eyes, Heiji couldn't help but shiver. He was in a dangerous situation. There were two angry adults, two angry chibified children…

..And one of them had a soccer ball that could knock the heck out of anyone.

Now Heiji was fighting the sudden urge to take away the stun gun from him, in fear that Shinichi would flip out and shoot everyone in the room with it. He'd never seen the detective so angry before.

"It could be a trap, or it might have a tracking device, or a backfire. I can't risk the chances."

Shinichi took a deep breath. "You said everything was fine a day ago. What made you change your mind?"

The fiery gaze was now locked on Shinichi. "I never said anything was _fine_ all my life, and I won't start now."

Yusaku didn't say anything, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions. Heiji could tell that he didn't want to see his son suffer anymore, and wanted to bring him out of this misery as soon as possible.

This was all common fact, and anyone could deduce this. You didn't have to be in Heiji's… situation to know this.

"Again, it's too risky. What if he ends up worse than his current state? What if he _died_? Would you like that?"

Yukiko fell silent, and Shinichi looked like he was worlds away, deep in pain. Heiji couldn't see his… friend like that (would he still call him his friend after tomorrow?) and decided to speak up.

"That's one-hundred percent real. I guarantee it."

Haibara raised her eyebrow in an almost taunting way. "And you're an expert on poison?"

Heiji hesitated, not able to reply. He couldn't, unless he was to give away the secret. "I have a feeling. Just trust me."

"Well having a _feeling_ isn't enough. We need to be sure about this, or else-"

"I trust him."

Heiji whirled his head around in shock when he heard Shinichi's voice. He felt a pang of guilt stab his heart. _"He… trusts me."_

Haibara looked like she was genuinely in shock, since waves of it were coming off from her. "If…you really think so… But I will not be taken responsible for any side effects."

Shinichi shot him a look that said _"You better be right about this Hattori."_ and left.

Feeling guilt all over, Heiji left the room with a quick nod at Shinichi's parents (both of which had a smug look on their faces) quickly ran to follow Shinichi.

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><p>"What was that about?" Heiji commented as he ran to catch up with Conan.<p>

"Isn't that what I should be asking you?" Conan asked without looking back. Heiji shivered at the cold wind nipping at his skin, observing the colorful leaves.

"If I die, you have blood on your hands."

"_I already do." _Heiji wanted to say, but kept his mouth sealed. Give a little hint, even a tiny, almost impossible to figure out hint… and…

He was glad Conan didn't prod him for an answer.

"Back there… you said you trusted me. Is that true?"

"Of course it is." Said Conan without any hesitation. Then he looked back. "You're my friend, aren't you?"

Heiji nodded promptly. He paused at the entrance to the Mouri's. "I should get going."

"How long are you staying?"

"About… four more days."

"_You only have four more days to live, Kudo."_

"I see. Well, see you later then."

Heiji turned away, taking a few steps before being stopped by a voice, hardly heard over the autumn winds. "And Hattori… Thanks."

Turning around, he looked for Shinichi. But there was nothing.

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><p>That night, a certain thief stood on the building, cape flowing in tune with the night breeze. Smiling, he began to scan the area, working out details in his head. He always did this before sending in a heist notice. That's just what he did. In order to have the show be a success, he needed to work out the details first.<p>

Little did he know that there was an armed figure crouching between the bushes, waiting for the perfect time to strike. She pinpointed the target, aimed (with the help of the scope), and fire-

"_WATCH OUT!"_

The bullet whizzed past the thief and was lost in the depths of the night sky. Kaito had barely dodged that bullet, and decided there wasn't any good to come if he stuck around any further. He went into a dive, not just to dodge other incoming bullets, but to find the person who shouted the warning as well. Surprisingly, there was no trace of another person anywhere, or any proof that a person had actually _been_ there in the first place.

But Kaito's hearing had never failed him before, he was sure they hadn't failed him now. But he gave up (to avoid getting into any further trouble) and headed home, curiosity still welling up inside him.

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><p>"The most <em>curious <em>thing happened today." Chianti commented lightly in the BO lounge. Vodka barely paid any attention (he was playing Left 4 Dead, surprisingly) and Gin didn't even twitch. But Korn turned his head curiously and Vermouth purred,

"What do you mean?"

"I was coming back after getting the supplies, and found a little white _dove_ flying around during the night."

Gin was now paying attention, and Vodka followed suite (when Gin threw a can of beer at his head).

"As you know, a dove shouldn't be flying out in the night, so I decided I should… put it out of its misery."

"But then someone evidently saw me and shouted a warning, so the bullet missed."

Gin scoffed. "You're getting careless Chianti."

Chianti leaned in. "But there's more. I scouted out the place a bit, and found… _this._"

A flash of something silver could be seen as Chianti pulled out the little square box.

Vermouth gasped. "But… that's the Apotoxin case… Why..?"

"It means someone stole it from Kir that day." Gin growled.

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><p>The next morning, Ran came into her father's room, face dripping tears and smiling.<p>

"Takagi-keiji's out of the hospital!"

Kogoro rubbed his eyes and yawned. "That's great…"

Conan, however, shot up from his bed immediately. "Yay! Takagi-keiji's out of the hospital!" chirped Conan, bouncing around a little bit.

Ran smiled at the little child. "Do you want to visit him Conan-kun?"

"I wanna! I wanna!"

That's how they ended up in the Beika Hospital, waiting for their turn to visit. They were kept company with a lot of police men outside, most of them wearing disappointed looks or glaring at the room that Takagi was in. Conan disused easily that Sato-keiji was also inside, and had given a _very_ positive reaction to Takakgi's revival.

Conan squirmed at the bright lights and clear floor. The hospital wasn't the happiest place to be, especially with a bunch of crying policemen beside you. Ran had to hide a smile at the sight, almost bursting with laughter when one of the policemen started to embrace another in the attempt of comfort.

"Next visitor, please come in."

The nurse sounded annoyed, probably because of all the crying policemen in the room. They made it very uncomfortable and cramped in there.

Conan passed Sato-keiji on the way in, and noted that she had a giant smile on her face, and you could practically _see_ her happiness.

"Ah, Ran-chan!"

Takagi was sitting on the bed, propped by a stack of pillows. He looked happy as well, and a little embarrassed. A tiny blush was rising up from his cheeks.

Ran leaned in close. "So, what happened to you Takagi-keiji?"

"Well… I got shot."

"No, I mean with Sato-keiji."

The blush became bigger and more contrasted. "We just… talked. That's all."

Conan (being the little evil creature he is) spoke up. "She kissed you, didn't she?"

The blush was now taking up most of Takagi's face. "I.. don't know what you mean!"

"She _did?_ Did she admit that she likes you? Did you propose?"

"If I did propose, I don't even have a wedding ring!"

"But she did!" Conan burst out. "I saw it! She had a pretty diamond ring on her finger!"

Takagi's face telling the story, Conan went on. "That's what you were doing, weren't you? You were going to the hospital to propose on by that enormous fountain when you got a call, weren't you? So you must've had the wedding ring prepared! Also, judging by the other policemen, they were spying by the door when you proposed!"

Ran's eyes widened and she squealed in delight. "I can't believe it! I'm so happy for you!"

Takagi's gaze fluttered around the room. "But don't tell anyone, okay? We haven't even planned anything, and we don't want any… ah, 'complications' in our wedding."

Ran smiled, and put a finger to her lips. "I promise to keep quiet!"

"I do too!" Conan chirped. And Takagi thanked them as the left the room.

"Well, are you hungry Conan-kun? I'll make breakfast as soon as we get home, okay?"

"Okay!"

While heading towards the exit, Conan bumped into a man wearing a large coat and sunglasses.

"Gomenasai."

The man didn't reply, but instead shoved a piece of paper into his hand. Conan turned, but the man had gone.

On the bus, he opened the little piece of paper.

_Dear Kudo Shinichi,_

_Yes, I know your identity. But don't worry; your secret is safe in my hands._

_Just meet my demands, and you will not get harmed, neither will your friends and family._

_If you don't your angel will most likely end up like that police officer._

_But not as lucky._

_On Saturday, please come to the abandoned warehouse near the outskirts of Beika._

_Feel free to bring anyone with you._

_And also, bring the Apotoxin._

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><p><strong>AN Longest chapter ever! The image of Vodka playing Left 4 Dead was too amusing to pass... What will happen to Conan? Will the other policemen sabotage Takagi and Sato's wedding? Will I ever stop wanting to eat chocolate? Find out next-… Nah. Maybe not. XD Bye!**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N Sorry about the kind of late update. I was away for the weekend. =(**

**Kakashikrazy256: Thank you for reviewing! Your reviews all always so nice. I'm glad you liked that little scene with Vodka and Gin. =) You're right, there aren't many fics out there about Bourbon… But that's why I wrote this!**

**Chelseaj500: Thank you for reviewing! =D Yep, he is. I planned it that way from the very beginning… Also, thank you for the tips you've been giving me! By 'bring anyone'… You'll see right below the disclaimer what I meant. I'm guessing Conan is tactful enough to not bring, like, the whole police force. XD**

**I was guessing that Anokata would be all polite and stuff on the outside, but evil within. But I will change that in the next note.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DC yadda yadda yadda.**

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><p>It was Saturday.<p>

Conan was just getting ready to leave, when Heiji intercepted him.

"What cha got there Kudo?"

Conan saw he was directing his question toward the letter in his pocket. "None of your business Hattori."

"Okay, I'll just be going-"

Before Conan could react in any way, Heiji swiftly moved his hand to the pocket and snatched up the piece of paper.

"Hattori, this isn't funny." Conan growled and tried to tug the letter out of his grip. But because of his height, he couldn't reach it.

Conan scowled, cursing words under his breath. He barely caught the paper when Heiji threw it back.

"You shouldn't go Kudo."

"That's exactly the reason why I _didn't_ want to show it to you!"

Heiji frowned. "That's not important. You shouldn't go."

"Ran is in danger if I don't go. In fact, everyone close to me, _including you_, would be in danger if I don't go. So _move_."

"It's an obvious trap. I thought you would see that." Heiji said, rolling his eyes.

Conan ignored him, shoving the paper back in his pocket. He dodged around Heiji and stepped into the early morning air. There wasn't an exact time on the letter, but he figured the earlier the better.

He stopped when he noticed Heiji was following him, trailing behind a few steps. The other boy looked casual, but his eyes were determined.

"What are you _doing_?"

Heiji rolled his eyes. "Ahou. I'm going with you so you don't get hurt!"

"…Why?"

Conan knew what the answer was, but felt a warm sensation in his heart when he heard it out loud, spoken from a person's mouth. "Because you're my friend, aren't you? That's what friends do."

Conan tried to act cool, but couldn't stop the warm smile creeping up at the corners of his mouth. "…Thanks Hattori."

It was almost eight when the pair got to the warehouse. The paint was black; making it look like the night sky was around the building. The building itself was old and run-down, paint peeling off, moss growing on the walls. It was a perfect cube, but it didn't look like it since the panels for the walls were falling off. Strands of ivy were snaking up on the walls, entering the building through little cracks.

"I wonder how old this building is." Heiji remarked, taking in all the details. "Whoever built this did a really bad job of making it sturdy."

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><p>In downtown Beika, a couple of construction workers working on the new shopping mall sneezed.<p>

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><p>"Do you think they're here yet?" Heiji looked back at Conan with a worried expression.<p>

"Only one way to find out. Wait here."

Heiji growled at this, forming a frown on his face. "I came with you to _go_ and face the danger, not to just sit on the sidelines."

Conan responded with a little twitch at the corner of his mouth, but didn't protest as the pair entered the dark building. They were imminently immersed in a flood of darkness, making both of them a bit claustrophobic. The little creaks and squeaks from who-knows-where echoed around the chamber of darkness.

"Hey Kudo, do you have a flashlight with you?"

"Yeah, just wait a sec…"

A beam of light shot out from the wristwatch, illuminating their surroundings, casting tall, dark shadows on the peeling walls. Both of them squinted and blinked at the sudden light but quickly recovered.

"I thought they said-"

"I brought it with me, just in case." Conan quickly replied, knowing what the other boy would ask. _"No use letting them know what this watch does…"_

Both stood still for a moment, eyes searching for any signs of life. There was no sound, no ripples in the darkness that revealed anything.

"Maybe you're too early."

"Being early is better than-"

"Being late."

A cold, harsh voice cut through the chibi-detective's voice, drowning out any other sound. It made both their spines shiver, the voice sounding like the darkness itself.

"…Gin."

Heiji said nothing, but seemed like he wanted to retreat into the shadows. A figure stepped out from the darkness, blond hair waving. Another figure followed.

"Aniki…"

Gin raised his hand, silencing his ally. He inspected the two figures before him, gazing hovering at Heiji for a heartbeat before moving to Conan. He smiled menacingly as he spoke. "I see you followed the directions. And you brought a friend."

His tone was light and cheerful, like he was talking about the weather. Gin's eyes reflected pleasure at two new victims.

"So you're Kudo Shinichi?" Gin asked, gaze swinging around.

"I'm his cousin." Conan spoke in a calm voice, not letting in any emotion into his voice. His gaze was icy and filled with hatred at the man in front of him.

"As if I believe that."

Conan said nothing, but threw the APTX at him. Gin caught it with skilled hands and looked at it closely before putting it in his pocket.

"Now, how did you get this?"

Conan's gaze flickered to Heiji, whose face was blank. "Like I would tell that to a bastard like _you._"

Behind his back, Conan clicked a button on his watch that would call for the police. It was the latest feature, making sure that someone would come if he needed help.

"K-Conan!"

Conan yelped as he was lifted into the air by strong, tough hands. "Aniki! Look at what he was doing!" He felt Vodka detach the watch from his wrist and throw it to Gin. Vodka let go, a tiny smirk on his face.

"What's this?" Gin threw it on the floor and smashed it into pieces. Conan flinched as he watched Agasa Hakase's precious invention be destroyed in front of his eyes.

"He called the police, Aniki."

Gin took out a gun from his coat and aimed it at the child. Conan tried to move, but only got bolts of pain shooting up his body.

"_My ankle's broken!"_ Conan thought with a chill, remembering how he landed on the floor awkwardly and felt something snap.

"Tell me."

Conan hissed. "Like hell I would!"

Conan closed his eyes, afraid of what would come next. What would Ran do when she finds out that both Conan and Shinichi are dead? What would his parents think? He braced himself.

He felt the air being knocked out of him and he was pushed sideways with a powerful lurch. He tumbled on the floor and groaned; only feeling pain. But when he touched the spot where he thought the bullet had hit him, he found no blood. In fact, he couldn't feel blood anywhere.

Then, all the pieces fit together. Conan snapped his eyes open and was met with a bleeding figure on the ground, curled up like a ball.

Hattori.

"_Hattori!"_ Conan shouted and tried to inch forward to his friend, but found the task impossible with his broken ankle. Gin stood there with a blank sort of expression on his face, but, for some reason, there was pleasure on his face. He said something, but it was impossible to make out because Conan's ears were buzzing.

Gin threw a little piece of paper which bonked off his head and landed beside his arm. And they left hurriedly. (probably because of the coming police cars)

Conan squeezed his trembling fingers around the tiny piece of white, closing his eyes to conceal the pain. With much effort, he managed to drag himself beside Heiji's body. His ankle scream in pain, and he flinched at the sudden jolts that came up from his leg; but concentrated more on examining the condition of his friend.

The teen was curled up in a tight ball, absorbed in pain, while blood blossomed out of the bullet wound and spilled out on the floor, making it red. Conan knew it was bad judging by how the blood seemed to be covering most of the front side of his shirt. _"The bullet probably hit somewhere near his waist… If I could just…"_

Another flash of pain blocked his thoughts and sent him falling to the floor.

"Shit…" Conan thought as he gritted his teeth to prevent the yell of pain coming out.

There were flashes of light out side. A familiar female voice called out, and made other come inside the building instantly.

The figure grabbed him and started to shake him by the shoulders.

"Conan-kun… Conan-kun!"

Conan barely heard her as he began to become linp, feeling the energy rush out of his body…

And he promptly passed out.

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><p><strong>AN This was an important chapter. That's all I'll say.**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N Sorry for updating later than usual! School has begun its homework piling stage, so I'm trapped. T_T On a happier note, this chapter is longer! Yay! **

**Kakashikrazy256: Thank you, you're making me blush… XD Did you really think that the other chapter was that great? Thank you! I have a special plan for Heiji, so be prepared!**

**Chelseaj500: Thank you again! I have taken your advice, which was **_**very**_** good advice btw. (I just went back to look at previous chapters. My spelling was **_**horrible**_**!)**

**I always love working those in also. They're so funny! XD A little humor into a serious situation, hm?**

**Also, I have gotten a beta-reader. (Thank you Chelseaj500, for suggesting this to me!) Give a warm welcome to… My cousin, Wally-kun! **

**Disclaimer: I refuse to do a disclaimer this chapter. REFUSE IT!**

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><p>Darkness. That was all Conan could see. No light at all, just darkness and pain. He wandered in his dark world, searching for light. There was a scream of pain, and it echoed around the space and rang out like a bunch of bells. He ran toward the sound, which was hard to do because he didn't know where it came from.<p>

There were footsteps behind him. _"Run, little boy. Run."_ A harsh voice whispered in his ear. He didn't want to listen, but his feet moved on its own will, starting to speed up, breaking into a run.

"_RUN! RUN!"_

Faster and faster he ran, trying to look at his surroundings, but he was moving too fast. The darkness began to fade and a whirl of color swam around him, his mind trying to process them all at once.

The voice beside his ear laughed, a harsh, cold sound like nails on a chalkboard.

"_This is your fear, boy. You fear that one of your friends will betray you, throw you away like a piece of junk, after all you have been through together."_

Conan refused to believe it, for he knew that Bourbon was Okiya! Yes! He wanted to believe it, he had to…

"_You know who it is, don't you?"_ The voice kept teasing. _"You know, deep in your mind, but you're too stubborn to believe! Wake up boy, wake up!"_

The colors around him began to fill with pictures, Ran, Haibara, Heiji, the DB, and even Sonoko and Mouri! It faded away also, leaving only pure bright red…

The color of _blood_.

The voice laughed, but the laughter didn't stop. It kept coming and coming and coming, filling up Conan's ears until the boy couldn't stand it any longer…

Conan sat up in the white bed, shaking and sweating before realizing that he was safe.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Just a dream, just a dream. He took in his surroundings, noting the charts tapped on the screen beside the monitor. His leg was propped up which confirmed that he ankle _was_ broken or badly sprained. (Probably the former.)

Conan smiled warmly when he noticed the figure on the end of the bed, sleeping soundly with her head in her arms. She was turned towards Conan and you could see tears streaking her eyes.

"_I'm sorry Ran…"_

Then the memory came back to him. He let out an involuntary jerk when he remembered what had happened. The exchange of the _fake_ APTX pill, a gun pointed at him, a sudden jerk, the note…

_Hattori._

He tried to get out of his bed, momentarily forgetting that his leg was strapped to the ceiling. He gave a little squeal as he gripped on to the bars of the bed, suspended in the air.

Cursing under his breath, he slowly moved to get himself back in the right position. He failed, crying out in pain when he was pulled sideways by the force of gravity, and he dangled in the air with his leg at an awkward angle.

Ran jerked away, eyes wide and frantic. She saw Conan and imminently and turned him back in the right position.

"Conan-kun! … I'm so glad… you're safe…" Ran sobbed, clutching his shirt. Conan's heart melted, seeing her crying for him.

"I'm sorry Ran-neechan. I just wanted to explore this old building and I asked Heiji-niichan to come with me…"

Ran frowned, hints of tears at the corner of her eyes. "Then why does Hattori-kun have a bullet wound?"

Conan froze, staring at her. Quickly recovering, he tried to hide it. "I don't know Ran-neechan, there was a bang and a BOOM! And it was scary! I tripped trying to get out!"

He continued before she could reply. "Is Kazuha-neechan here?"

Ran's expression changed instantly. "No… We tried to call her, but it kept on saying her number was blocked. Same for Hattori-kun's parents."

Conan looked up at her with little boy eyes, wide and innocent. "Can I go see Heiji-niichan?"

"No Conan-kun, he's been sleeping. In a coma you could say. You've both been unconscious for three days."

A dark expression crossed his face, but the boy quickly put on a little child face. "Awww… I missed the new _Yamen Kaiba_ episode!"

"That's what you get for going in to an abandoned warehouse!" Ran scolded. "Everyone was really worried about you!"

"I'm sorry…" Conan murmured, looking up at her with wide eyes.

Ran smiled. "Well, I'm just glad you're okay."

"How long to I have to wear this?"

"Just a week. You're lucky you didn't fully twist you ankle so it broke." **(A/N I know usually you have to wear a cast for longer than that, but we have to get the plot moving along…)**

"My ankle… didn't brake?"

Ran smiled again. "Yes, and thank Kami for that. I'm going back to the house now, Conan-kun, to check on otou-san. Call if you need anything."

"Okay!"

The moment she was out, he snatched the little piece of paper up from the bedside table. Conan opened the piece of paper roughly, not even caring if it ripped or not.

_Dear Kudo Shinichi,_

_You have disobeyed my orders. I said no tricks._

_I shall let it slide, for now, for there is more we need of you._

_At whatever time possible, bring the same person over to the old parking lot_

_Beside the old Beika Mall._

_This time, I have prepared more thoughly, since that was only a test run._

The first thing that struck him was that this note was written before the meeting happened. It was like the Boss knew he was going to bring Hattori, and bring along a couple of gadgets. And what did he mean by 'a test run'? And why did he ask him to bring Hattori?

"_It's a trap." _Ai's voice rang in Conan's mind, but he shooed it away.

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><p>Kaito KID stood on the rooftops once more, this time more weary about being seen. Taking a deep breath, he jumped, letting his hanglider shoot out and attach to his fingertips.<p>

He tensed when he saw some kind of figure moving beneath the trees. Carefully, he flew closer to the treetops, just enough to hear what they were saying.

"…Yeah, they fell for it. The boss was right; the brat _did_ bring his friend…"

"_Snake?" _Kaito wondered, settling down on a sturdy branch when his hanglider retracted once more.

Peering over the branches, he saw three figures, all dressed in black. Two of them had long, blond hair (one of which was more silver than blond.) and one of them had a stout little hat. He couldn't see their faces, but he was at an aerial view, so it was impossible.

"The brat's pretty smart though, bringing in a stun gun watch like that."

"I'd say stupid, but brave. Too bad we couldn't kill him or-"

"Not here! Anyone… could be watching."

For a moment Kid thought that the woman was starting straight at him, but she said nothing. Her blue (**A/N What color are Vermouth's eyes? Does anyone know?) **eyes drove through his heart.

"Do you think he's really Kudo Shinichi? The boss won't say."

There was a heavy silence, which was broken by the woman.

"Go, I'll catch up. There is something I would like to check out." Kaito noted that her voice was heavily accented, she seemed American, almost.

Surprisingly the other two followed her orders. She glanced back at them to check that her companions were out of hearing range. Once she was sure, she motioned for Kaito to come down.

He tensed, not sure whether or not to trust her. She smiled and shook her head.

"**You are not like that Conan kid. He seemed to trust me because he had no other choice."**

Kaito recognized the language as English, and switched to it. **"Yes. I am more careful. A thief must be careful."**Kaito was never the best at English, and didn't want to make his sentences too detailed.

She moved closer towards him. **"I'm not the type to tell secrets, at least, not without a good reason. If I was, you would've been dead by now, little dove." **She put in a bit of a teasing tone in that last part, but Kaito didn't mind.

"**Tell me what you mean."**

"**If I tell you a secret, give me yours."**

Kaito took the risk. _"You have to take risks while playing poker."_

"**Fine. Tell me."**

"… **The one who warned you was **_" (that last part was blank for Kaito couldn't understand what she said.)

"**I can't understand. Janpanese, please?"**

She shook her head. "**There is no Japanese word for it. Fine. I shall tell you my name. It is Vermouth."**

Kaito scanned her face to see if she was lying. Finding no guilt, he arranged his poker face and asked another question. **"What should I tell you?"**

"_**Tell me what you are looking for."**_

The words seemed to have a pleading edge to them, making Kaito wonder if she really needed to know that badly.

"**I am searching for Pandora."**

Vermouth's face reflected shock for a heartbeat, but disappeared as fast as it had come.

Kaito flew off, spreading his 'wings' and soaring into the depths of the night sky.

"_Goodbye… Magician of the Silver Sky…"_

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><p>The next morning, Conan woke up to a chorus of cheers and scrambled voices.<p>

Ayumi smiled at him when he yawned and blinked, rubbing his eyes. "Conan-kun! I'm glad you're awake! Are you okay?"

There was jealousy written all over Genta and Mitsuhiko's face, and they cleared their throats in harmony.

"I'm glad you're awake, Conan-kun." Mitsuhiko commented, glancing at Haibara every so often.

"Great to see you're still alive." Haibara spoke with a light tone, but her eyes held deep fierceness.

Genta didn't say anything, because he was too busy gobbling up Conan's breakfast. (Or that's what it used to be.)

Conan sweatdropped at the sight, and tried to resist the urge to laugh. Ayumi held some flowers in her hands and placed them by the bedside table.

"We got these for you; maybe you can feel better when you look at them." Ayumi had a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Thanks Ayumi-chan. Have you visited Heiji-niichan yet?" Conan asked, keeping a casual tone.

Ayumi's face darkened, which was unusual for the little girl. She leaned in close and whispered, "I heard he's still unconscious. They're trying to see if something in his mind is wrong, or if it's because of shock or something. Ran-neechan doesn't know yet, though. I only heard because of the doctors by his room."

"_Still in a coma…"_

It struck Conan mentally and physically, he even winced a little when a pang came near his heart.

Ayumi-chan looked at him worriedly. "Conan-kun? Are you okay?"

Haibara suddenly stood up. "You should get going, school's starting soon."

Mitsuhiko looked at the clock. "You're right Haibara-san. Are you coming?"

"The Hakase is picking me up."

They shuffled out the door, leaving only Conan and Haibara behind. She leaned in close to his face like Ayumi had, but her eyes were sharp and piercing.

"_What the hell were you thinking?"_ She hissed. "You could've gotten _killed!_ I told you to be _careful_ not just go rushing into trouble! Why didn't you _tell _me? Why did you meet up with _them?_"

Conan wondered how Haibara knew it was the Black Org, but figured it was because of the gunshots.

"You would have stopped me. They were threatening _Ran, _Haibara!"

She growled. "You're a fool Kudo-kun. They were probably bluffing. You should've at least sent in some backup…"

"I _did._ Hattori was there." He regretted the words as soon as it came out of his mouth, and wished for them to come back in.

"So? You _used_ him as a _freakin' shield_? Did you even _see_ the blood? He was _hurt_ Kudo-kun. You call _one freakin' person BACKUP? BAKA!_"

She screamed that last part out, glaring daggers at him.

"Haibara…"

"Did you even _think_ about how everyone else felt when you disappeared and we didn't know where you'd gone? Your parents were going _frantic_, turning the whole of Beika over looking for you. Did you think about _Ran_ and how _she_ felt when she got a call that you were in the _hospital_? Have you ever stopped to _think_ about what effect that would have on _others_?"

Conan flinched at each word she said. "I'm sorry…"

Haibara looked away. Secretly, she was hiding tears behind her hair, feeling heart-broken. "Be careful." She said, trying not to make her voice shake. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

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><p><strong>AN Such a long chapter… Since I have stuff coming up and other stories to work on, I probably won't update until Saturday. See you then! And thanks to all the people reading and/or reviewing! I wonder why everyone's phone wasn't working all of a sudden... *shrug***


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N And I am back! XD This chapter will be more a 'filler' than a plot, because I think the plot is going **_**way**_** too fast. **

**Kakashikrazy256: Thank you! (I'll probably stop saying this, you post… every chapter! But I thank you deely.) I'm glad you like it! Ah yes, I had to add Kid somehow, and Vermouth seemed like the perfect character to… 'Pair up'. And it's amazing what love and friendship can do to a person, huh? **

**Chelseaj500: Thank you! (I'll probably stop saying this; you're such a dedicated reviewer!) Thank you for that correction. Yes, I'm bad at writing out 'mysterious characters', but I think that was better than my first draft. XD And Ai was acting like that, mainly because she was worried. Huh? Is that ConAi I'm seeing? *gets shot by ShinRan fans* I bet Kaito is good at English too, but I must make sure he isn't good and English FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLOT! *does a stance and gets shot for lame excuse***

**Disclaimer: It was never here.**

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><p>A day passed, then two, then three. Each night was another nightmare, each dawn another spark of hope (that always dimmed), and each day another boredom. The Detective Boys always visited him before or after school, bringing him new homework. Haibara visited in the evening, just standing in the corner of the room, looking at him with piercing eyes. Conan was racked with guilt during those times, since he still hadn't told her about the note.<p>

Ran came in and talked to him about what was happening. Of course, it wasn't like anything had changed. As she said, "It's only one week."

His mother and father would come in, eyes glazed with worry for their son. Yukiko broke down crying once, saying she was a terrible mother, and that she should've taken better care of him. It took quite awhile to get her to calm down, and at that moment, he was drowning silently in the guilt that came off from the note by his bedside. At night he would gaze at the note, half of him wanting to destroy it, rip it up into shreds and throw it away. But he couldn't.

There was no news of Heiji, who Conan guessed still hadn't waken up. But he did know that no visitors were allowed in his room (not that there actually _were _visitors) and doctors wandered in and out of it restlessly. Ran started to consider calling his parents, but she had promised, and she wasn't a kind of person to break a promise.

The fourth night, it was different. Haibara had tears in her eyes, trying to hide them under her cherry-blond hair. When he had questioned it, she glared at him and left. Ran had come, but left in a hurry. He couldn't sleep in fear that the nightmares would come again. He felt the cold night air nip at his skin. Shivering, he pulled the covers closer to his body.

There was a rush of wind. He tried to stand up and failed, leaving him defenseless. On the windowsill there was a familiar white costume, cape flickering out behind him. The smile on his face was hard to miss, and the thief politely bowed to the shrunken tantei.

"Kid." Conan growled out, but didn't make a movement.

Kid didn't react beyond raising his eyebrow and gesturing at his leg. Not wanting to explain, he asked first. "What are you doing here?"

Kid gently leaped down from the window and swiftly came over to the child. "Answers."

Conan shifted in his bed. "What about?"

"That 'Vermouth' person. You know her, don't you?"

Conan flinched a bit, but tried to hide it. "… You shouldn't get involved."

"Why not?"

"You might die. They'll hunt down anyone who's close to you if they find out. All the people you know… that you care about… Gone because of you sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong."

"I still want to know." He didn't back down, but his voice revealed a tiny hint of uncertainness.

"Even if-"

"I'm risking my life? Yes. I _have_ to know."

His eyes drifted to the paper. "She's part of an illegal organization that I just call 'The Black Organization'. They smuggled drugs, make illegal drugs to sell, and kill people. Anyone who knows about them, or betrayed them, they kill."

"Do they know about… Pandora?"

"About… what?"

"A jewel inside a jewel. It makes you immortal."

Conan looked for trances of humor in the thief's eyes, but only saw deep seriousness. "You're joking, right? They're no such thing as immortality."

"There's no such thing as black magic either, but look what happened!" He laughed dryly.

"Wait… What?"

He smiled. "A fan of mine is a witch. She used black magic on Nakamouri-keibu in order to kill me."

Conan deadpanned, and decided to drop the subject. "Okay, let's say that there _is_ a gem that makes you immortal. Why do you want it?"

"I don't _want_ it. I want to destroy it to prevent it from falling into… wrong hands. Vermouth knows about it. I think."

"What 'wrong hands'?"

"There's this man named Snake. He wants the gem."

Conan suspected he was going to say more, since most of his face was now hidden in the shadow of the moon.

"He killed my father."

Conan didn't know what to say to that, so he just stared out the window.

Kid coughed, trying to break the awkward silence. "There were two more. One had a hat and sunglasses on, while the other had long, silver hair. Do you know them?"

Conan breathed out, mastering the anger raging inside of him. "Gin and Vodka." He said flatly.

Kid turned on swift feet. "Well I'll…" His eyes got round. He jumped and shot out his hanglider, shouting a warning to something.

Conan struggled to get out of the device holding his leg up, but felt jolts of pain extending from it whenever he moved. "What happened?"

Kid flew back in, looking calm and collected but a little nervous. "Something just fell off the window next door."

"_Hattori."_

He turned to the thief, eyes blazing. "What the hell are you still doing here? Go and get help!"

Frightened by the tantei's tone, Kid nodded and vanished. A moment later, he heard frantic footstep outside, a scream, a burst of chatter. A spiky haired boy entered the room, and for a moment Conan thought he was looking at himself (which led him to believe he was going crazy.) But he saw that it was someone else, dressed in messy jeans, a worried glimmer in his eyes. "I'm sorry…"

* * *

><p>The next morning, Conan persuaded Ran to call Heiji's parents. Ran didn't argue, but was shaking when she dialed the numbers in. According to the police, there was no sign of struggle so it either means he left willingly or someone kidnapped him while he was passed out. It was mostly likely the latter, but there was no rope of any kind in the surrounding area. Witnesses also said that they saw no one.<p>

It was a surprise when they didn't come right away, but instead, came with Kazuha.

Heizo didn't understand. "I was in Osaka the whole time; I never came to Tokyo within the past two months."

The reality came crashing down on Conan. _"Heiji had lied… but why?" _

The taunting voice in his head came back. _"You know why, you just don't want to believe…"_

Conan shook his head rapidly, refusing, going against the voice.

Haibara came in during the morning. With numb shock, he realized it was Saturday. Not like it mattered anymore.

"Kudo-kun… I'm sorry."

Conan stared at her with blank eyes, still fighting against the voice.

"I should've told you… That they were planning to take more Apotoxin subjects. After you, and you reappearing so many times, they weren't sure."

"…what?"

Haibara let out a shaky breath. "I didn't tell you on purpose, because I thought… If I knew this would happen I would've…"

"So you think they took him for the research?"

Haibara opened her mouth and closed it, not being able to reply. A flash of pity came across her eyes, only appearing for a brief time. Conan didn't miss it.

"He left by himself. It was his choice."

Her head jerked up. "What?"

"He left on purpose. He did it for the same reason I haven't told anyone yet."

Haibara frowned. "Kudo-kun, please explain."

"I…" there was a raging battle in his mind, two sides arguing fiercely. The side that didn't accept the truth won. "…Never mind. It was a stupid idea."

Haibara didn't question him, and left silently.

* * *

><p>His breathing was getting faster and faster, and sweat was pouring down his face. But he didn't go back. If he did, they would find everyone, and then…<p>

He leaned against the small warehouse, closing his eyes. _"He'll be coming…"_

* * *

><p>Gin growled, obviously displeased at the news he had just received. "He's gone."<p>

Vodka turned to look at him. "What?"

"Stop the car. It's no use looking."

Vodka u-turned and exited the highway. "I thought he was in a coma?"

"I thought the same."

Gin snorted. "He'll come when the little brat comes. He's too foolish to let the tantei come alone.

Gin lit a cigarette and twirled it around his fingers. _"He'll come…"_

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><p><strong>AN *evil smile***


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N Thanks for all the reviews and favorites! I'm really happy right now, and very glad people enjoy my stories. =) Especially made this chapter for Kakashikrazy256 and Chelseaj500 who are the best reviewers EVA! Thank you for all the advice! They really helped. This chapter will be anther filler.**

**Kakashikrazy256: Yep. Conan should just admit it to himself that Heiji really **_**is**_** Bourbon. It's sweet and loyal, but you gotta face the truth someday, huh? I shall try to include more detail in this chapter. But if you noticed, I'm trying to stall. I DON'T WANNA TURN HEIJI IN TO A BAD CHARACTER! XD Thank you for all the great advice!**

**Chelseaj500: Kid x Conan! *gets chased by all the ShinRan, AiCon, and HeiShin fans* About the Conan trusting Kid thing… yeah. But Conan knows that Kid never really wants to hurt someone, and also knows he has no other choice. But… yeah. Thank you for all the great advice you've been giving me!**

**Disclaimer: *dances***

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><p>"Kazuha-neechan, is that true?"<p>

Conan was looking at Kazuha with his 'little boy face'. Kazuha nodded her head. "He hasn't been in Osaka for over three weeks. He said he had a really tough case but…"

"_Using my excuse…"_ For some weird reason, he felt a pang of ignorance at that. Pushing it down, he tugged Ran's skirt. (Not for perverted reasons.)

"Ne, ne Ran-neechan. Did you hear that?"

Ran gazed at Conan worriedly, and gripped his hand like he might disappear if she let go. It was uncomfortable, but Conan didn't mind as long as he was holding Ran's hand. A faint blush appeared on his face, and he turned his attention back to the conversation.

Megure-kebu was currently interviewing Hattori Heizo who was trying to comfort Shizuka as well as answering the questions being given.

"So you're saying he wasn't in Osaka for three weeks?"

"Yes."

To anyone else, it would have been amazing that a man could stay so calm after being told that his son was shot and missing. But to Conan, it wasn't a surprise. His own father was the same in personality, showing no emotion most of the time.

"And Conan-kun, Hattori-kun said that he was with his father to visit relatives?"

"Yep!"

Megure wrote something down with a frown on his face. He looked deep in thought, examining the possibilities in every different direction. He turned back to Heizo.

"Do you know where he was during the time when he left Osaka and when he visited Mouri?"

"No."

His voice is strained and his replies are short, Conan noticed. _'He must be suffering as well…'_

"… Why didn't you file in a missing person report?"

"He called daily."

There was silence which was broken by Kazuha. "Why aren't there police cars to look for him? Why aren't you out there right now, looking? Why are we all just sitting here answering stupid questions we can't figure out anyways? Why don't we just-"

Sato spoke kindly to the girl, sympathy in her voice. "Kazuha-chan, we can't just rush out without any idea where he is. We'll just waste time. We need at least a little hint-"

"_I don't care!" _Kazuha sobbed, eyes flaming and tears flowing, she ran out of the room. Ran went after her, unlatching her grip on Conan.

One by one, the people in Conan's room shuffled out. Soon all the people were out, the last one cutting the lights and closing the door. Conan turned his head toward the moon that had tufts of clouds covering its white light.

There were two main leads so far. The note and Kid. Conan still didn't get why Kaito Kid had gotten involved in all this, but didn't care as long as it meant they had a lead on the BO.

He had been given the clear to get out of the hospital in about two more days, which was a relief. With luck, he would find out what was happening and what had happened.

What really got him on his nerves was how Haibara was acting. She hadn't been herself lately, yelling at him and actually _crying_. She had looked at him with guilty eyes, which were different from the cold ones she had always given him.

He could confront her, but that might make things worse, or maybe hear news that he didn't want to hear.

_It's all part of being a detective. You must face things you don't want to, admit that this is the only solution. There is only one truth._

Apotoxin tests… They were still going on? Though he had never heard much about the test subjects or how they were recruited, he knew that random people who had nothing to do with the BO wouldn't be involved…

_You're still going on with that? Admit it.  
><em>

Conan shook his head, trying to clear it. _'It can't be!'_

_There is only one truth, tantei-san._

Conan blocked the thoughts away, refusing… But if that were true, everything would fall into place and everything would make sense.

Conan blocked the voice out completely, telling himself that if that were true, he would've been dead by now.

…Right?

* * *

><p><em>(Five years ago)<em>

_The sound of police car sirens rang out in the air, echoing into the night sky. A little girl cried in the arms of her friend._

"_Okaa-san! Okaa-san! Let go Heiji! _I have to go back!_ Okaa-san!" she broke down in tears and the boy embracing her didn't meet her eyes. _

"_M' sorry Kazuha…"_

_She gave up struggling and wailed, her screams piercing through the hearts of everyone in the area. Her father came up to her and started to comfort her, murmuring soothing words and rocking her gently. The boy left the girl in the arms of her father and ran. Ran towards the darkness of the woods. _

_A blond haired woman stopped him in his tracks. He frowned, taking note of her secretive smile._

"_Who are you?"_

_The woman raised a finger to her lips. "A secret makes a woman, a woman." Her face was covered by the shadows. She had a heavy accent and the scent of perfume surrounded her._

* * *

><p><em>(Four years ago)<em>

_His first successful deduction. Pride swelled inside him when the murderer broke down in tears and was lead away by the police. His heart almost burst with pride, Kazuha hugging him and his mother smiling and congratulating him. Even his father gave him a tiny nod of approval. _

_He was pulled away by the crowd, and was lost. Panicking a little, he looked around. He stood face-to-face with the woman from a year ago. _

"_Your skills are impressive. How would you like to join a group for special people, like you?"_

_His mind scream at him 'YES!' but common sense told him that he shouldn't trust a stranger that he had only met twice, both under mysterious circumstances. She held out a card with only the words 'Seven children' on it. Before he could ask him what that meant, she had gone._

_(six months later)_

_He threw his fists down on his bed, growling in fury. His father had hit him, again, for sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong. He had solved the case, hadn't he? Wasn't that the only thing that mattered? He wasn't going to get hurt, he wasn't going to _die_. He was about to bang his desk (or cut the thing in half) when he saw a certain six-month old paper lying on the desk. He had figured out the code ages ago, but never had a real reason to call. _

_I'll show him. I can take care of myself. He'll trust me and be proud of me. Dialing the numbers, he pressed the talk button._

_He had no idea what he was getting himself into._

* * *

><p><em>(Two years ago)<em>

_He had been a member for two year now, and was a highly ranked official. But he had no clue of what was going on in the other departments, or what they were doing. All he did was research the person/thing/place/crime he was given and dig into it, getting the full story. _

_Just months after he had researched the famous 'Kudo Shinichi', he got a completely different assignment. _

'_Bring Kudo Shinichi'_

_A chill went down his spine reading that, and he contacted the boss directly. _

"_What do you mean 'bring'?"_

"_Bring. Him. To. Me."_

"_What are you going to do with him? Are you going to kidnap him?"_

"…_He is a main part of our research."_

"_No. I'm not kidnapping an innocent person."_

_There was a snort of anger at the other end, and the tone turned threatening. "Listen. If you don't follow orders, or try to quit, we'll make sure you will be executed. That includes your family and friends."_

_That got him nervous. He tried to reason. "He's too famous. It'll be noticed right away if he gets kidnapped, and officials will track him down right to you."_

_Anokata hung up, making Heiji's anger rise. But he forced it down, and held his head in his arms. _

"_Because of me… Those deaths…Some detective I am."_

_Grief washed over him and carried him into a flood of nothingness._

* * *

><p><em>(One year ago)<em>

_He had found Kudo Shinichi. He watched the chibi sized detective himself, searching for evidence and making deductions… _In his voice_. It was the perfect plot. _

_But it was still pretty simple, if you looked at it the right way. He still couldn't believe no one had noticed yet. _

_So he had him cornered… But now what? Fear gripped his heart. He would be killed along with the people he was close to. Because of him. He made a choice. _

_'I couldn't stop those deaths, but I can stop this.'_

* * *

><p>"Hm… the thing you brought me seems to be a transmitter of some kind. It's badly burned and doesn't work. But with a bit of tweaking, I bet we could find out where this came from."<p>

"Thanks Agasa-hakase." Conan said and hung up.

Haibara leaned in closer. "What did you bring him?"

"Something Hattori found."

Haibara didn't react beyond twitching a bit at the mention of the name. "It's a transmitter."

"Yes."

"That means it isn't anything important."

"It might as well be, if it's from the BO."

"Your fall Kudo-kun."

Conan's gaze drifted to the note beside his bed. It seemed so harmless, so innocent.

The cherry haired girl got up and walked over to the door.

"Haibara!"

She paused and looked over. "Take care, okay?"

Smiling, she left.

* * *

><p><strong>AN As you can see, I'm stalling. Why? I don't know. **


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N Sigh… **

**Ayumi Kudou- I'm glad you like it! You're a really fast reader! I wouldn't be able to read this story in ten minutes if I tried. **

**Chelseaj500- Of course I don't think you're interfering! Your suggestions have really improved my writing, so thank you! The flashbacks were just an idea of mine that randomly popped up, so I'm glad you think they're great. Hm… You just gave me an idea… :D**

**Kakahshikrazy256- FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLOT, I HAVE WRITTEN THIS CHAPTER! *gets shot* Nah. Actually, this is my favorite chapter, since I've been planning it from the beginning. Poor Heiji. He didn't know what he was getting into. =(**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DC or any of its charas.**

* * *

><p>Mouri Ran walked in through the hospital doors exactly at eight AM. Humming and skipping, she made way toward Conan's room.<p>

"Conan-kun! It's time to go home!"

She opened the door slightly, not knowing if Conan was still getting dressed or not. There was no reply. "Conan-kun?"

There was no boy on the bed. There were adults surrounding it, yes, but no little second-grade boy.

"Megure-keibu, where's Conan-kun?"

"Shinichi came and picked him up. He said that he needed something from Conan-kun." The inspector replied, not looking away from the files Sato was holding. All of them were whispering… Whispering… It made Ran shiver. Kazuha had her face buried into her arms, but her shield wasn't working, since tears were dripping onto the bed. Ran quietly excused herself, and felt a bust of anger as soon as she closed the door.

'_Shinichi was here, again, and he didn't even bother to meet me!"_ Ran fumed, almost punching the wall but reminded herself that this was a hospital, so she was not allowed to break the wall.

But what could Shinichi possibly want from Conan-kun?

* * *

><p>"You better thank me later. I risked a lot for this you know."<p>

Kaito was folding his 'wings' by the building. He didn't look directly at it, since it gave off a sinister aura; to him, at least. Conan was checking all his equipment. "How so?"

It was Hakuba's first day back in school. (Kami knows where he was for all this time.) Kaito bet his hat that Hakuba would immediately start bombarding him with questions the moment their eyes met.

"Private reasons."

"… You have a girlfriend?"

Kaito laughed out loud at this. "Nope. Other reasons."

Conan shot the thief a blank look, and got back to checking his equipment. "You better be going then."

"Guess so."

Spreading the flaps of his hanglider, the magician took off into the morning sunshine. "Be careful, okay?"

The comment…. No, order hit Conan. _'The thief cares?'_

Almost as if answering his question, Kaito also shouted out '_It wouldn't be fun if you died!'_

That explains it.

The note said to bring Hattori along, but that wasn't possible now. Not that he would've anyways… He didn't want to drag his friend into this. Not after… Last time.

"Hey."

Whirling around, Conan was shocked to meet a person dressed in all black, shoes and all. His face was covered by the shadows that were made by his hat, which was pulled over to cover his face, but Conan knew who it was the instant he laid eyes on him.

"_Hattori?"_

Heiji adjusted his black hat, looking awkward and nervous. The hat in particular was bothering Conan. He'd seen Heiji wear black lots of time before, but hat _never_ seen him wear a hat that was different from his baseball cap. It was a cap, but it was pure black with no writing at all on it.

"You followed the note? You shouldn't be here Conan."

"_You're_ the one who shouldn't be here. I never showed you the note. How did you know?"

When Heiji didn't answer, but turned his gaze toward the building instead, Conan realized they were being watched. _'So that's why he used my cover name…'_

He changed the topic of the questions. "Do you know how much everyone's been worried about you? Kazuha's been crying for hours! Why did you lie Hattori? That you came with your father?"

Heiji gave a tiny nod of approval, but shifted nervously. Conan realized Heiji was limping a bit, but showed no sign of pain.

Conan didn't like seeing his usual reckless and cheerful friend be like this, like a mask.

"Are you going in or not?"

Heiji's question snapped him back to the situation they were in.

"Of course. You shouldn't follow, Hattori. You're still hurt."

Conan took a few steps toward the building and looked back. Sure enough, Heiji was following him, but his gaze was aimed at the ground. "Don't."

"I can't just let you go in. What kind of friend would I be?"

Friend… Only if both detectives knew how meaningless that word would be.

* * *

><p>As suspected, Hakuba came to Kaito's house right after school. Hakuba claimed to be 'dropping off Kuroba-kun's homework'.<p>

Adjusting his voice, he made it rough and horse and shouted a weak, 'Come in!' to the blond detective.

Hakuba raised an eyebrow at the 'sick' boy. "So, you have the flu?"

"I'm prone to illnesses."

The detective placed the stack of papers on the desk. "Aoko is worried."

"There's no need to be."

With large steps, the british detective was at Kaito's side in an instant. "What are you playing Kuroba? A heist? A trick?"

Kaito weakly made an attempt to shove the other boy away. "For the last time, I'm not Kaito Kid."

He felt the other scan his face for a sign of a lie. Kaito had a sturdy poker face, so he wasn't really worried.

"Okay then, I hope you get better soon." Kaito almost laughed when Hakuba flinched at his own words. Suddenly, he got an idea.

"Hey, Hakuba, can you tell me something?"

The boy's hand freezed, halfway to the doorknob. "What is it?"

Grabbing a piece of paper, he scribbled down some letters and turned it so it was facing the detective.

"… Borebon?" Hakuba asked, his voice laced with heavy accent. Kaito guessed it was English.

"Yes."

"Don't you mean _Bour_bon?"

"…I guess."

"Why did you spell it like that, then?"

"Because you bore me." Kaito stuck his tongue out at the blond, but regained his composure. "So what does it mean?"

"_Bour_bon is an American whiskey."

"Whiskey?"

"Yes, Whiskey. Alcohol."

That confirmed Kaito's fears. _'He's one of them…'_

* * *

><p>Entering the building, Conan shivered at the sheer emptiness of it. Heiji didn't look uncomfortable, just nervous.<p>

"What's with all the black?"

He got no reply from the Osakan. But instead, Heiji walked over to a metal plate on the wall and flipped it open. Watching in shock as the other rapidly typed some buttons on it, the nagging voice came back again.

'_Admit it, tantei-san.'_

"Hattori, how did you know that?"

The darker-skinned boy pointed to a sheet of paper on the ground next to the panel. But he had guilt written all over his face…

The panel slammed shut, and a door appeared behind them. Without hesitation, Conan went through. Heiji trailed a little bit back, feet grazing the ground and hands shoved in pockets.

It was fairly easy to navigate, since there was only one hallway. Conan felt his anxiety rise each step he took.

Then it was a dead end. A big room with hideous peeling walls and spider webs crawling over the walls, but no door or window, or… you know.

There were footsteps. Both detectives tensed at the noise, Conan put on hand on his wristwatch while the voice inside his head said, _'It's time, tantei.'_

He really thought the voice was getting to be like Kaito Kid.

It was a shadow figure dressed in black, wearing a hat and smoking a cigar.

"_Gin."_ He let hatred fill his voice, and tried to restrain himself from attacking directly.

"It's a _pleasure_ to see you again, but you're not who I'm playing with today."

The man's gaze was aimed toward Heiji, who flinched away.

"No, your battle's with me. Why don't you get your boss out here?"

"He is secretive. There is no need for him to come out."

Vodka soon appeared beside him, taking out a gun with Gin following suite. Checking the bullets and cocking the gun, he smirked.

"What do you want, Gin?" Surprisingly, it was Heiji that said it, not Conan. The younger boy stared at him as he went on. "I put down all the information I had."

"But that's where you're lying. Records prove that you've been with this _boy_ for more than what you reported. Also, records prove that you never completed your mission with Kudo Shinichi. How's that?"

Conan began to feel dizzy as he organized all of this in his brain. So Gin had been watching him? Then what does Hattori have to do with it? The voice was screaming '_Don't be afraid of the truth!'_ inside his head. It was all so stupid.

Without warning, Gin scooped up the chibi-tantei and held the gun to his head. "Talk."

Conan struggled to get out of his grip, but he knew it was useless. Heiji was standing there, eyes wide as his gaze shifted between Gin, the gun, and Conan.

* * *

><p><em>(One and a half years ago) <em>

_The day before, he had hesitated on killing a man inside an apartment. The man in question had betrayed the organization countless times, but had been in hiding. He raised the gun and pressed the trigger…_

_But he never did. _

_The man had green eyes, like him, so he easily saw his own face reflected back at him. Dropping the gun, he shooed the man away before others could arrive. _

_Now, a rifle was pointed directly towards Kazuha's house, waiting for the girl to come home. It would be her last step._

_His gaze shifted between the rifle and Kazuha, who was coming down the street. Running, he grabbed Kazuha's hand and dragged her to his house._

"_What the hell was that?"_

_Heiji was pacing angrily in front of Chanti, who was chewing gum. The woman didn't look bothered, but amused by his reaction. _

"_You deserve it. The boss called it off, so you're lucky _tantei_."_

_Heiji growled and kicked an empty beer can across the room. A life taken because of your actions, wasn't that the same thing as murder?_

* * *

><p>Conan looked at the Osakan with wide and genuinely afraid eyes. Once again, just like almost two years ago, he saw himself reflected back in those eyes, scared and helpless.<p>

He swung his head toward Gin. "Be it. But _don't ever hurt him._"

"Deal."

"… what do you want?"

Heiji dared to look directly at those piercing eyes, the eyes of evil.

Conan struggled even more, glancing at Heiji with confused and questioning eyes.

_Sorry Kudo._

"You know what I want. Information." The gray eyes glimmered with triumph. For an instant, Heiji wanted to back out, but then looked at his friend in the man's grasp.

"What kind?"

Stalling. It was the only thing that Heiji had, and it wasn't likely to get him out of it for long.

"Akemi. Shuu. Sherry. Kudo Shinichi."

As expected, Gin cut right to the chase, not wanting to waste time. Vodka was still digging in his briefcase for something (you would suspect it wouldn't take long to find something in such a small bag).

"Akemi… I don't know what you're talking about."

"Like hell you don't. Tell me."

It was true, Heiji didn't know much. He had met her a few times, and they had talked. Apparently, she was Ai's sister, but apart from that…

Wait.

"She was connected to Akai."

"_How?_" He was getting impatient, the Osakan could tell.

"…I don't know." That was a straight out lie.

Gin shoved the gun even further into Conan's head, making the chibi-tantei wince.

"They… broke up I think."

"Sherry?"

Taking Conan/Shinichi into consideration, Heiji replied almost instantly. "How am I supposed to know about what happened to a dead woman?" He covered his fear with (fake) anger, and scowled.

For a horrible moment, he thought Gin had not believed it, and pulled the trigger. Luckily, he didn't and moved on to the last question, the one Heiji wouldn't be able to answer.

"Where is Kudo Shinichi?"

"If I told you, you'd kill him."

"So you _do_ know."

"I might."

He was stalling again, and Gin knew it. He nervously glanced over to Conan, who was trying to reach his hand to his wrist. _He'll never make it._

"Where is he?"

"…"

Gin cocked the gun, and put a finger on the trigger. "He dies."

Tensing, Heiji reacted on impulse. "I know!"

"…?"

"He's in hiding, or so I've heard. I know he's not dead, because I bugged his phone the last time he was here. He never said the location though, so…"

"Why didn't you tell anyone else that he came to visit?"

"Because he would appear for an instant, and then disappear again. There's no use." He shrugged casually, spinning a web of lies as he went. "Now, let go of the kid."

"One more thing."

Heiji growled. "I kept my end of the bargain, so you should keep yours. _Let him go."_

"You should know by now that I don't keep bargains."

"_Gin" _ Heiji's voice became dark and menacing.

"Aniki, the boss-"

"I know."

The blond man turned toward Heiji again, smiling no, grinning evilly, like he was a cat watching a mouse stuck in a mousetrap.

"The boss has no need for you Bourbon. You must come with us."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Not much of a cliffy, I know. But I wanted to get the explaining done in one chapter. Speaking of that, THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET! *cheer***


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N Play it safe ya'll, play it safe. *gets shot***

**Welcome to the 12****th**** installment of Hiding in the Shadows! We have finally reached the mini-climate…**

**This chapter will feature many POV's, so please sit back and enjoy the show. Remember to turn off all cell phones. We hope you have a great chapter at the HITS theater.**

**Ayumi Kudou: I love kidnapping fics also, there's not enough of them in the world. Especially Heiji and Shinichi ones!**

**Cheleasj500: Your wish is my command…Not.**** Maybe. I dunno. XD**

**I'm glad you liked it, and thought there was enough detail! Ooh, glad you said that. I'll need that information for later on. I love kidnapping fics too! =D You're a great help, so I thank you with this chapter!**

**Kakashikrazy256: I always take your suggestions into consideration, so I shall. I shall also make those changes in later chapters.**

**I hope you feel like it's not getting **_**too **_**rushed. This chapter is mostly going to be filler-ish, but sometimes I can't contain myself from adding bits of plot here and there. Gomen! I'm glad you love it! I don't think that last chapter was some of my best… *sweatdrop***

**Disclaimer: *waves from the Disclaimer box***

* * *

><p>Gin jabbed the gun further into the chibi detective's head, who was still struggling in his grasp. "Well? Do you want him to die or not?"<p>

It was a stupid question in basis, since the organization would find a way to kill him anyways. Both detectives in the room weren't sure if Gin would keep his word about not harming anyone. A flash of determination crossed Heiji's eyes, and he took a step forward.

Realizing what was going to happen, Conan managed to mumble out "Hattori… Don't…"

The truth was taking a toll on the boy, since his heart _still_ refused to believe it while his body did. There was solid evidence, solid proof, but why?

_Because he's your friend._

"I'll do it. Just let him go."

The corners of Gin's mouth curled up, making him look like an evil lion stalking his prey. "Going soft Bourbon?"

Conan flinched at the name. Heiji saw the young boy's pain, and winced mentally; but he stood his ground. Flashing an 'I'm sorry' glance at him, he walked slowly to the black car, his steps dragging beneath him. He averted the gaze of his best friend, and didn't look back. Vodka followed, making himself comfortable in the front seat.

Gin tossed the boy and left him there, rushing into the car and driving off. The shock suddenly came off of Conan, and he jumped up and dashed toward the car. He had no luck. It was clear it wasn't coming back.

Conan sat down on the cold, stone floor, rearranging all that had happened.

Hattori, the person he trusted with his life, Hattori, his first real friend that was equal to him (besides Ran, but did she count as a friend in his state?), Hattori, who had taken a _bullet_ for him… Bourbon?

A scream of rage came out of the tantei's mouth as the truth hit him in the face. He pounded the wall, and didn't even wince when his fist started to bleed. The truth was just too much. And he ran. He ran without looking back, just like Bourbon.

* * *

><p>"Kaito! <em>Kaito!"<em>

Aoko tapped Kaito's shoulder gently, and then shook him. "Kaito! Pay attention!"

"I am paying attention! Baka!" Kaito shooed her away and turned his head back to the front of the room.

"So if _y_+_z_ was _ab_…"

The teacher's words faded slowly into the background in Kaito's brain. He hadn't contacted tantei-kun since Hakuba had told him about Bourbon. Vermouth hadn't contacted him either. It was all so strange.

His heist was planned, but he hadn't sent the notice yet. The reason for this heist was mainly not for the jewel, but for a little chat. Hopefully tantei-kun would be able to figure that out from his note.

Akako, who was sitting a few seats away, noticed the faraway look on the thief's face. It was all so susupicious…

* * *

><p>"Takagi-kun?"<p>

The police officer blushed, and looked into her eyes. "Yes?"

The young woman popped another cherry into her mouth, and sighed at the beautiful view the lake provided. "How long has it been since we were on a date and we weren't disturbed by something?"

"…Never."

view that the lake provided. "I'm hoping that you didn't tell anyone else about our arrangement."

Takagi clear his throat. "Nope. You know Sato-san…"

"Just call me Miwako."

He was blushing rather furiously now, his face the exact same shade of red as the cherries were.

"Miwako…"

There was a buzz coming from Sato's purse, which indicated a call. Sato took it, while Takagi had a disappointed look on his face as he packed everything up.

"So, what's wrong now?"

Sato shot an apologetic look over to Takagi. "There's been an incident near my home. I'm sorry, if it was anything else I would've…"

"No, it's okay. Let's do this again sometime later, shall we?"

Sato grinned, and pretended to curtsy. "Let's."

* * *

><p>Ran was sitting on near the futon Conan was resting in. The boy had appeared at the front door, covered in dirt and sweat. Ran didn't question him (the nerve Shinichi had! Putting Conan-kun through something that was probably horrible!) but instead made him shower and change clothes. The boy had fallen asleep before his head hit the pillow.<p>

She listened to the soft sound of his breathing, rising and falling rhythmically, and examined his face. It was amazing how the small boy looked so much like Shinichi when he was young.

She rearranged the covers so the boy would be covered in them completely. She quietly shut the door and locked it. Unknown to her, there was a figure, two figures in fact, that were on the ground, both of them armed.

"Remember, the boss said _not to kill them._ Just injure them."

"Why not?"

"Don't ask me." It was obvious they were new at this, since they were struggling to get the snipers out of their cases.

"Let's just get this over with. I don't want to be late for coffee break."

They aimed, and prepared to shoot. But being beginners, they forgot one crucial detail.

Both of them didn't check the bullets in their snipers.

So when they fired, all they got were blanks. Ran stiffened, and immediately draped all the curtains in the little apartment. Cursing, the two figures left.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Okay, so the real chapter part was bouncing around everywhere. I'm sorry about that, really. I just checked back on all the other chapters, and my spelling is horrible! T_T Gomenisai! ** **Now, please enjoy this little Omake I have added. (has nothing to do with the story, and is very out of season.)**

* * *

><p>"Kaito!"<p>

The cry rang out through the classroom, and had barely faded when it was followed by the sound of desks crashing against the floor.

"Gosh Aoko! It was just a joke! No need to- WAH!"

The mop (of death) swung in over Kaito's head and prepared to strike. Kaito quickly dodged it, just to see it miss him by an inch. Aoko's face was burning and she was literally spewing smoke out of her ears.

"Come on Aoko! It's Halloween!"

"I. Don't. Care. BAKA!"

Stepping out of the mop's path, Kaito hopped over to Hakuba, who was focusing on a Sherlock Holmes book. Swiping it out of his hands, he asked "What are _you_ doing for Halloween, Hakubaka?"

Growling at the mention of this nickname, he reached for his book, but the magician kept it out of reach. Scowling, he replied "Nothing. Now give it back."

Aoko came closer, and tipped her head at the British boy. "But… It's Halloween. Everyone's doing _something_. Like for instance, I'm going to a Halloween party with Kaito."

Apparently, someone had been listening to their conversation, since there was a wolf-whistle at the mention of Aoko going with Kaito. Aoko's face turned red again, and she awkwardly left.

Hakuba turned his head back to his desk. "I'm still not doing anything. Unlike the _idiots _who bring their 'childhood friends' to Tropical Land for Halloween, I'd rather prefer to make good use of my time, thank you very much."

Back in Beika, Conan and Heiji both sneezed, for they were bringing Ran and Kazuha to Tropical Land for the evening.

"Be careful of your words, tantei. Don't insult!" Kaito sang, throwing the book up in the air and catching it.

Hakuba swiped the book back with a sweep of his hand, and dusted it off. "This is the original edition, you know."

Kaito shrugged, pulling out a cat mask and putting it on his head. "Are you going anywhere Akako-san?"

Akako (who was, ironically, also reading a book) looked up. "No I'm not. Halloween is when all my spells are stronger. I need to make use of that time and grasp it, not waste it."

"You're not going anywhere either?" Aoko came toward the witch and tilted her head once more.

She was opening her mouth to reply, when the teacher came in wet and dripping water all over the place.

"_KUROBA KAITO!"_

* * *

><p>While Kaito and Aoko were walking back home, Kaito leaned in close to Aoko and whispered something in her ear. Suddenly interested, she nodded and smiled, which was a rare thing for her.<p>

The plan was set, the date was ready. Now all they had to do was wait.

Hakuba was reading (as usual) when there was a knock on the door. It was a dark night with no moon, so he couldn't see very well through the darkness. There was a note on the doorstep.

"_Please turn to page 7 of the book that is attached to this note. Then dial the numbers you see on the second paragraph."_

The book wasn't a book at all, but more of a mini-direction packet kind of thing. The numbers were '347-5674' (**A/N This number is completely random, and not taken from any reference, etc.)**

A bit suspicious, but curiosity tugging at his mind, he did exactly what it said.

The phone rang a few times before someone answered it. The voice was…

_Kudo Shinichi?_

"Hakuba-san?"

Chasing off shock, he cleared his throat. "Yes?"

"I don't know how you got my number, but I was just about to call you. There's been a little accident near the Beika park, and you're the only one available right now…"

Hakuba was pretty shocked. They had never even _met_ (Hakuba only knew the voice because of the news) and he was asking _him_ to take care of something?

"Why can't you?"

"I'm going with Ran… I mean, going on an important case. And I heard you weren't doing anything, so…"

Hakuba almost busted with rage, but managed to keep it cool. "I'll give it a look."

"Arigato, Hakuba-san!"

The tone went off as the other boy hung up. Sighing, the detective put on his jacket and went out into the crisp, fall air. The park wasn't that far away, and Hakuba had plenty of time to spare.

It was dark, and not a sight or sound to be detected. He was beginning to think that this was a complete waste of time, when he heard a crash in the trees. Stiffening, he inched closer, and closer. The dark figure rose out, and leaped over to him.

"Akako-san?"

The witch blinked, and looked around. "Are you hurt? Did you get shot? Are you feeling alright?"

He almost fell over at the force of those questions, and shot her a puzzled look. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean."

"I came out here after I got a call saying…" She trailed off, and looked away. Was that a hint of red on her cheeks?

"I got a note, which lead me here." He said simply, not wanting to spill the details. There was a flash of light and a bang behind them, making both spin around, tense.

They were greeted by a flare of red, spelling out the words "_Happy Halloween!"_

It faded, sending fizzing noises into the quiet night. There was another flash, and this time it was made into a pumpkin.

The final time, it was green and spelled "_PS: Hakuba, please just ask her out next time instead of making me go through all this trouble. –Kaito"_

The british tantei growled, and murmured "He just _had _to pick on me…"

"It's more traditional for boys to ask out girls."

His eyes were wide as he eyed her in shock. She blushed, and cleared her throat. "That's what I heard from Aoko."

He inspected her dazzling eyes, and straight, black hair, and smiled.

'_Maybe Halloween isn't so bad after all…'_


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N Important announcement! I will now only update once or twice a week because 1. The chapters will get longer! And 2. life is interfering. So here is the FF schedule.**

**(HITS as base) HITS – SA: 30 pairings – LU**

**Kakashikrazy256: Totally agree with you. And you're not rushing me, so don't worry! And thank you for the complement. *blush* It was all because of these great reviews/advice you've been giving me. So, thank you for that!**

**Takato the Daydreamer: Thank you for reviewing! Glad you liked it. Hakako is one of my personal favorites. What about you? **

**Marenii: That's really great, seeing as you're my role-model! =D I'm glad you liked it! Go kidnapping fics! You really think it's brilliant? Thank you!**

**Ayumi Kudou: Your mom doesn't let you have an account? That's too bad… At least you still get to review and stuff. Hm, never thought about that. I might just…**

**Cheleasj500: Conan? Well, you'll see about Conan… *gets shot***

**Disclaimer: *insert cheesy catchphrase here***

* * *

><p>When Mouri Kogoro arrived from 'work', he was alarmed to see the police outside of his small apartment. Fatherly worries kicking in, he rushed upstairs.<p>

"Ran! Ran, are you…" He trailed off, delighted to see his daughter perfectly fine. Megure-keibu was right next to her, asking questions.

"Inspector, what happened? Is she alright? Is-"

"Don't worry Mouri, everything is under control. You daughter is just a bit shaken up. You seem to get mixed up in the weirdest of situations, Mouri-san." Writing a few more notes down, he sighed and put a hand on the arm of a nearby chair. "First the disappearance of Hattori-kun, and now this."

He turned to his daughter, and gripped her hand. "Ran, what happened?"

"There were snipers outside the house, preparing to shoot her. That's what."

He spun around as fast as lightning, not really surprised to see the _woman_ (as he often referred her to) propped against the doorframe.

"…Eri."

She didn't say anything, but shot a glare at Kogoro that said much more that words could. "You pathetic excuse of a man. You weren't even there to protect her, probably off playing mahjong again. Right after Hattori-kun disappeared too. Don't you think it would be obvious that they might target Ran next?"

Kogoro took a step forward with an unnaturally cool attitude. "And who wasn't there for her when her family broke in two? Who caused that, hm?"

Ran began to cry at this, tears sliding down her face. Eri hurried over to her, brushing the tears off her face. "This isn't the time to talk about it."

Kogoro mumbled 'says the one who started it' under his breath and turned to the inspector. "What happened?"

"Snipers. They were targeting your house, apparently. They must not be professional since they somehow forgot about the bullets and only fired blanks…"

Eri broke in with a cough. "What about Conan-kun?"

"Still asleep. He must have been through emotional shock after discovering someone was as close to a nii-chan he'll ever get, suddenly disappearing…"

Ran broke in, hiccupping. "Shinichi- came- picked him- up- took- him- somewhere-"

Eri patted her comfortingly, humming soothing sounds.

Kogoro growled. "That Kudo kid? Hmph, he never even bothered to visit the hospital for that matter."

"Kazuha- chan?" Ran hiccupped again.

"She went back to Osaka with the Hattori family. Well, she had to be dragged to the train, but she still…"

Kogoro coughed in an attempt to break the tense atmosphere. The attempt failed, since everything was still silent. He excused himself out the door.

* * *

><p>Haibara was in the dark, cold basement, typing away even more rapidly than before. A slight frown was on her face, and it scrunched up her features.<p>

_This doesn't compile. If that was what he meant… Wait, if I adjust this little thing here… He would be able to make it without help… _

Her eyes opened as everything fell into place in her brain. That moment, the doorbell rang. Since the professor wasn't here (had to go get some things) she answered it. There was a boy with messy black hair in a school uniform. He had a little grin on his face and was playing with a pencil in his hand.

"Can I help you?"

"Hello! I'm Kuroba Kaito!" He said cheerfully, sticking out a hand. A shocked Haibara took it, and they shook. "I'm here for Edogawa Conan."

"Can you leave a message?"

He looked around, and leaned towards Haibara. "It's about the APTX."

Her gaze swung around to look directly into his eyes. "Who are you?"

His grin changed to a smirk. "Kuroba Kaito, magician. Now let me in!"

As he passed by, she had to notice the similarity he had to Kudo-kun. The face and eyes were perfectly the same. For all she knew, they could've been twins. "Kudo-kun isn't here right now. You asked me to take a message, I will."

He sat on the sofa, making himself comfortable. "There was a bomb in one of the abandoned warehouses yesterday, and it blew up the whole thing. Surprisingly, this warehouse was the exact same one which Edogawa-kun met the BO in. I should know, I dropped him off there. Also, my 'friend' told me that the bombs were a kind that you couldn't get in Japan." He remembered how it took a whole lot of pestering to get that information out of Hakuba.

"And?"

"Vermouth approached me once, but I haven't seen her since. I would like to know about that. It seems like this is a round of mafia for some reason." Kaito rolled his eyes and stood up. "Well, that's it."

"That's all you have?"

"Yep!" Kaito strolled over to the door. "And tell tantei-kun to keep a good poker face, would you?" He winked, and disappeared.

* * *

><p>"So, is it ready?"<p>

The dark figure whose face was covered by a mask asked his companion. His voice was muffled, making it disguised. The other blond-haired man nodded sternly and opened the little briefcase. Inside was a little pill, much like the APTX 4869, but this one was gold and white.

"It doesn't have a name, since it is a prototype. Once we test it, it will be named."

The other nodded approvingly, staring at the pill. "How will you test it?"

"We have a plan in mind. We will not disappoint you."

"How is this different from the original?"

"The other one seems to have a… shrinking problem. _This_ one kills securely and cleanly. Even if it fails, it has backup atoms that will take care of… problems."

The other raised his eyebrow in interest, but didn't question it. "I hope you won't fail this time, Gin." The man spoke with authority and firmness.

Gin nodded, and closed the briefcase shut. It closed with a snap, cutting through the fall air.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Short chapter, I know. But mostly fillers all around. The next one will be longer, to expect to wait a bit. Thank you to all those who are reading and/or reviewing!**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N Well, chapter 13! I want to thank all of you out there that have been following my fic from the beginning, or just started. The people who have been reading, reviewing, and/or adding this to their alerts and/or favorites. THANK YOU ALL! **

**Ai will be a bit OOC (more than usual) in this chapter. But please understand why.**

**Ayumi Kudou: And I greatly appreciate you for doing so. =)**

**Chelseaj500: Aw, thanks! I'm horrible at writing the more 'quiet' characters, but you seem to do that very well in your stories. (I'm a fan!)**

**Takato the Daydreamer: Sorry, no spoilers from me!**

**Kakashikrazy256: Well, that's Kaito for you. XD And another pill appears! Well, if I killed Heiji…. :D**

**Reginfrance04: My story is that dramatic? O.o To be honest, I don't believe in the Heiji=Bourbon idea (too many gaps) but I considered it, and put it on my computer. Then the plunnie grew and… ta da! **

**This is just a fanfic, a part of all the mess growing in my head. Thank you for reviewing! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned DC… Let's just say that it would be a madhouse.**

* * *

><p>Kudo Shinichi, aka Edogawa Conan, sat up on the futon. He had a blank, staring look on his face and didn't even notice the police moving about outside the room. Rubbing his eyes, he went out, eyes half closed.<p>

Ran hugged the boy the moment she saw him, but he didn't respond in any visible way. She didn't care, but hugged him harder, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Ran-neechan, what's wrong?" He was different. His tone was flat and had no usual enthusiasm; neither did it have any signs of life. He was like a living zombie, if that made sense.

Even Ran noticed it, and pulled him away. "Where are you going Conan-kun?"

"The Professor's."

"At least get changed."

The boy pushed past her. "He won't mind."

"But Conan-kun…" she stopped her sentence when the boy gave her a glare. It was icy, and held anger that couldn't be described. Ran passed it off as blaming himself that Hattori-kun was gone, and didn't question him. She didn't want to hurt the boy or make him more nervous by telling him there were snipers in front of the house.

The boy himself had no traces of his previous self, but rather had traces of Haibara, with the cold glare and all. He hadn't meant to do it, it had come out naturally. He went outside, halfheartedly enjoying the cool breeze on his face. Ignoring the looks he got from passerby, he rang the doorbell of Haibara's house.

The Professor opened the door, inviting him in.

"Where's Haibara?"

The Professor cast a worried glance toward the basement steps. "She's in the basement. Won't come out for days…"

Conan slid to the basement steps, his heart growing heavier and heavier with each step. Slinking down the stairs, he saw the dim silhouette of the girl illuminated by the light coming from the computer.

"Haibara."

"Kudo-kun." She acknowledged curtly.

He leaned against the wall before speaking what he needed to say. "I'm giving up."

She turned to face his blank eyes. "…What?"

"I'm giving up. On all of it. I'll just tell Ran that Shinichi is dead and I can continue my life as Conan." He shrugged like it all didn't matter.

"When did you decide this?"

"Just now actually. I mean, there's no point is there? Even if we do get rid of the BO, you're not going to turn back anyways, and I probably won't be able to get an antidote. It's stupid." He laughed dryly. "_I_ was stupid, thinking a couple of teenagers and kids could defeat a powerful criminal organization."

Haibara stood up, expression hard and clamped together. "Kudo-kun, this isn't like you. What happened?"

"Don't call me that. It's Edogawa-kun from now on. And nothing happened. I just realized reality."

Haibara walked over to him, until she was standing face-to-face with the chibi tantei. "No. There's only one truth, remember?"

"And that 'one truth' is accepting reality."

"How do you know for sure?"

"…I've seen what the world can to, how cruel it is. "

Without warning, Haibara raised her hand. Conan felt the force of the strike, making his head swing over to the right. He turned back toward her, holding up a hand to his left cheek.

"Seen what the world can do? Don't give me that talk!" Haibara scoffed. "You've seen how cruel the world is plenty of times, in all the murder you've seen in your life, of what you experienced! But you weren't like this before!"

He stayed silent, but started to shake. He could still feel his cheek burning where Haibara hit him.

"It's Hattori-kun, isn't it?"

The violent flinch from the boy was all she needed.

"So?"

"…He betrayed me."

"What do you mean?"

"…"

Haibara growled. "He didn't run away."

"Yes he did."

"How do you know?"

"I met him at an abandoned warehouse."

'_I knew it was suspicious when Ran said Shinichi picked him up… Damn that Kaito Kid.'_ Haibara growled again. "Why?"

"I met Gin there too."

"Stop stalling! Come out with it!"

"… He was Bourbon."

Haibara couldn't reply to that, so he continued. "He was Bourbon, he went with the Black Organization. End of story."

"I still don't get it."

Conan threw a questioning look at her. "Get what?"

"Why the Black Org. didn't kill you sooner."

"We got lucky I guess."

"There is no such thing as _luck_ when you're dealing with _them!_

It struck her. All the information gathered, all the ideas in her head suddenly all fit in place.

"He was stalling _time_ Kudo-kun. For _you_." Conan tensed and started to shake.

"Shut up!"

"At the hospital. They were coming for him, so he escaped. He did it for-"

"Shut up!"

"No!" Haibara screamed, glaring at him. "Don't think of yourself! Think of how it was for _him_. Unless you're going to face that fact, get out."

"Fine." He spat, and pushed past Agasa-hakase who was coming down the stairs. "Shinichi, what-"

Conan ignored him, pushing past the professor and heading back to the apartment. Most of the police had now gone, and Ran had probably been taken to the station for questioning, with Mouri following behind.

He leaped onto the couch, resting his head on the armrest. He thought about what Haibara had said, about Heiji doing it for him.

He suspected the base had to be close to the abandoned warehouse, since they said 'come at any time' and had met him at the exact time he had come. He wondered it Kazuha was safe, being a friend of Heiji.

* * *

><p>The dark figure was scrunched in the corner, shivering. Two other people came in with pistols. One held a little silver box. The figure in the corner made a whining noise. Coming over to the figure, they held him tight.<p>

"Ready?"

The stouter man nodded and opened the box. The figure struggled even harder, but couldn't get free. The gold and white pill glimmered in the darkness, and the taller man nodded toward his companion.

Getting out a small vile of water, he placed the pill in the figure's mouth and poured the whole vile of water down. The figure swallowed, and started jerking sideways. Both of them let go, and watched as the figure repulsed in pain, jerking each and every way. Finally, it became still.

The taller man wrote down some notes and nodded, pleased with the results. "Get rid of the body."

The stout man hulled the still man out, putting the box back in his pocket.

"The first test was a success. The second test will be commenced shortly."

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><p><strong>AN Cliffhanger alert! **


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N **

**Ayumi Kudou: Well, that would be too boring, wouldn't it?**

**Kakashikrazy256: It seems like there is no hope for anyone. *evil smile***

**Chelseaj500: Not really, I don't update **_**that **_**fast. And yes, I do read your stories! They don't seem that OOC to me… A memory wiping potion? That's somewhat close to my idea…**

**Mareliini: Conan is in an emotional state as of now. XD I'm glad you didn't think Ai was OOC, since I was worried about that the most. =D **

**Sorry I haven't updated! Well, real life's getting in my face, and the chapters are gonna be longer, so… Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: *doesn't bother, since you know that I don't own DC***

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><p>"So the first test was a success, huh?" Vermouth commented, putting a cigarette to her lips. "Who was the victim?"<p>

"A former computer scientist, who betrayed the organization." Gin replied, smirking and putting an arm on the windowsill. "The next test will be soon, and I'm looking forward to that."

"Why?"

Gin's reply was drowned as a truck passed by, but Vermouth was close enough to hear what he said. "Good reason."

Conan glanced at the map, looked up at his surroundings, and glanced at the map again. Wiping some drips of sweat of his forehead, he kept on walking through the rubbish. He was at the oldest part (which wasn't really that old) of Tokyo.

He had deduced that the HQ of the Black org. was at least in a 10 mile radius of the abandoned warehouse. They had burned that building down, and maybe even evacuated their headquarters. But still, it was Conan's only lead and the boy was willing to follow it to the ends of the earth.

Why? The reason was simple. Well, of course he wanted to find the antidote of course, but would Ran ever really accept him?

No, his real reason was to find Bourbon, question him, and maybe slap him in the face once or twice for betraying Conan. He might've had a good reason, but he could've helped him, since that's what friends do. He told Bourbon his secret, why didn't he tell him?

It stung him every time he called him Bourbon. But that was his… official name now. Bourbon wasn't Heiji. Heiji was bright, cheerful, trusting, while Bourbon was always hiding in the shadows. There had to be some mix up, some missing case of identity…. Right?

Excuses and excuses. He was surrounded by them. Heck, he even made some himself. (Well, not some, but a whole lot.)

Poor Kazuha. (His heart dropped as he thought of the poor girl.) What would she do when Heiji didn't come back, ever? How would she react when she figured out her best friend was part of a criminal organization?

He'd scoured five buildings so far, and this was just the beginning. Checking another building off his list, he took a drink of water from the water bottle he had brought. He savored the icy coolness as the fresh taste slid down his throat.

There was a patter of steps from somewhere nearby. Freezing, he looked around carefully, a bit nervous.

Another clang. Spinning around, his eyes narrowed, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound.

Weirdly, it seems that the sound had led him right in front of a small building. It was just a tiny house with cement walls. Curiosity tugging at him, he proceed inside.

It was dark (thank goodness for his watch-flashlight) and eerie. Drips of water came down from the ceiling and moss covered the floor.

Upon further investigation, it was clear that someone had been here before. There were signs of the moss being stepped on very recently, and some footprints here and there.

It all ended at a single point, the sink. It was very big, and it seemed the moss here had been stepped on the most. He started to pull on everything around the sink, touching and poking.

There was a click as his hand touched the edge of the tap. A slow creak came, the two doors below it opening. A set of stairs appeared, disappearing into eternal darkness.

'_Surely it's a trap? It wouldn't be _that_ easy, wouldn't it?'_

Still, he made his way carefully down the stairs.

Dark. That's the only word that could describe the trip. Silent and dark.

Quietly slipping through the darkness, he held his breath as he got to the last set of steps.

The HQ was full of chatter and whispers, not at all the creepy silence Conan had imagined. Crowds of people sat around a certain scientist, who sat there looking embarrassed. She had dark black hair that flowed down, and her eyes were beautiful.

A feeling of familiar-ness struck the tantei. Was that?... It couldn't be…

_Miyano Akemi?_

* * *

><p>Haibara sat in the dark corners of her little lab, and was looking through some files. A tug of guilt pierced her as she read the email from her sister.<p>

_Dear Shiho,_

_I hope you're still alive. You are doing fine, right? Probably as an outcast, because of me. For that, I'm sorry._

_I'm still alive, thank you very much. _(She chuckled at her sister's humor)_ I'm creating a new drug, very similar to the APTX4869, so it doesn't create a shrinking effect. Did you know about that, Shiho? I bet you did. _

_I know I was against the Organization before, but it is the only way to find out information I need. Someday sister, we will team up against the BO once more, and fight to destroy them. But for now, we must join them._

_Yes, that death was a fake. I bet you're surprised. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but things wouldn't have ended up as planned if I did. _

_Your neechan,_

_Akemi_

She was mad at her sister for hiding many secrets, and for her to just leave her behind when she was secretly working for them all along! But she couldn't be mad.

The death had been planned, and her sister had somehow managed to pull it off. She admired her sister for that.

She was _working as a scientist for them?_ She couldn't believe it. And Akemi-neechan had created _another drug?_

It didn't make sense. It wasn't fair.

_The world isn't fair._

* * *

><p>Darkness surrounded him, closing in as he waited for his doom.<p>

The mirror on the other side of the room was surely a one way mirror, since it wouldn't make sense if they couldn't monitor his actions from inside this little cell. He'd heard about the death of one the test subjects they've used for the APTX_ _ _ _. (Still no name yet, he had heard.)

He was lucky the room wasn't soundproof, but he could swear his skin was getting paler due to the lack of light.

He highly doubted that anyone would come for him, since he had told so many lies. So many secrets, hidden away.

How was Kazuha feeling? How were his parents feeling?

He sighed and waited for death to claim him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I bet NONE of you expected the sudden plot twist. And at least you know Heiji is alive.**

**And I'm sorry to say, the story is drawing closer and closer to the end...**


	16. Chapter 15

**Ayumi Kudou: A Death Note crossover? Interesting idea. I am a AiCon myself, but I don't hate Ran. I figure she's more like a 'big sister' character than a real couple. To be honest, Ran won't have a real main part in this story, so…. I love rants! And long reviews! And purple smoke!**

**Kakashikrazy256: Good reason? There is a **_**very**_** good reason. *evil laughter* KID will also have a kind of main role… **

**Chelseaj500: Yeah, I guess… But Akemi was needed, since I couldn't drag Haibara into the BO headquarters. Thanks! **

**Mareliini: Akemi is alive! Yeah, it was kind of sudden. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Period.**

* * *

><p>Kaito breathed in relief. The little tantei had successfully infiltrated the HQ without suspicion. Now all <em>he<em> had to do was make sure their luck lasted. His little 'meeting' with Vermouth had made everything clear, and now he was helping the little tantei with his schemes.

Setting up some more pranks and traps around the entrances of the HQ, and smiled jokingly. Clearing his throat, he announced the familiar "Ladies and gentlemen!"

As planned, more than twenty people came outside, holding guns, looking for the source of the voice.

'_The voice thrower sure came in handy.' _ He thought with a grin as he slipped past the guards into the depths of the stairwell.

'_Miyano Akemi?'_ Conan thought in shock as his footsteps echoed into the walls around him. It was a pain there wasn't a map of HQ. How did anyone find their way around?

The only thing giving him a clue was the sign on the wall in front of the entrance saying,

**P = 1**

**P = 2**

**P = 3**

**In order 1-3 floors.**

It barely made any sense to him, unless he counted the last line.

Stopping for breath, he took out his DB notebook and started to scribble on it. He was flipping through some pages when something shot out at him. His eyes widened, and he slowly turned the pages back with utmost care.

'_There!'_

It was a copy of the Greek alphabet. It somehow looked familiar, and Conan was sure it had something to with the sign.

Converting them into English, he thought and thought, blinking a bit before scribbling rapidly on a clean page.

'_That's it!'_

* * *

><p>Miyano Akemi was an interesting character, if more than anything.<p>

But you wouldn't call her 'happy'. No, you would call her scheming, evil, cunning, knowledgeable, and skilled. But you wouldn't call her happy.

In fact, you wouldn't call her 'friend' either.

Or 'sister'.

These thoughts ran over and over in the maiden's mind as she typed out some more things. Like a tape recorder stuck on 'repeat', it played over and over again.

She wasn't happy, even after she had created the new drug that her colleagues claimed to be the 'turning point' in the organization's research. A new test subject (whom Gin said he'd found inside one of the storage rooms) had arrived, and it made Akemi nervous. She had fixed the side effects of the drug, and had made a support system to keep it stabilized. But she'd also added one more thing which she didn't tell about, just in case…

Let's not think about that.

But, she'd also realized there were whispers of rumors that Bourbon had betrayed the organization. She had only seen the young man (?) once or twice, but still had grown a fondness for him. He seemed troubled. Like her.

She was glad she wasn't the only one.

Lastly, she felt horrible of what happened to her little sister. She had lied to her, betrayed her, and left her alone in the world. Mostly, she was probably _dead_ for all she knew.

The email address was one only she had known, and wasn't planning on sharing for a while. It was their private connection line, and Shiho was known to check it everyday in secret.

"Are you done with those new pills yet?"

Silently, she passed the little jar to her colleague, who took them excitedly.

Akemi saw the flash of greed in his eyes, and reminded herself why she was still here, why she was still working for Them.

"Can you pass me that helium mixture? I want to try something…"

* * *

><p>Bullets could be heard echoing across the empty stairwell as Kaito proceeded down. Grinning, he casually leaped and landed in the entrance of the HQ.<p>

One of the passerby stopped walking and turned to him. "What's going on out there?"

"There's an intruder." Kaito said in his disguised voice.

"Damn it. Has he gotten into the building?"

"Nope."

Without a second thought, the man rushed up the stairs. Smirking, he made his way to find tantei-kun.

A female whipped by him, shouting, "Chemical accident in the fifth lab! Evacuate immediately!"

This couldn't be good.

* * *

><p>Conan rushed through the halls, looking every which way and occasionally glancing down at the notebook in front of him.<p>

He was on the third floor now, and was rushing his way through the halls. The facility itself wasn't very big, but it was impressive.

A lab assistant rushed by him, and Conan took that chance to swipe some documents. Stuffing them into his pocket, he turned another corner, finding himself in a totally pitch-black hallway.

Clicking on his flashlight, he found himself staring at a hallway with window like things on the side, each with a door beside them. He came closer to the glass, and tapped on it. It was almost eerie, making shivers run down Conan's spine.

Listening closely, he heard a faint… beeping noise? Glancing uneasily around the area, he proceeded.

The last 'window' was boarded up, making it impossible to see inside. A weird surge of hope flared in his chest, and he opened the door beside it.

A person was leaning against the wall, breaths heavy and ragged. The boy twitched at random times, withering on the ground.

"Hattori!"

The pair of eyes opened into slits, revealing bright green eyes.

"K-Kudo?" The voice was barely heard, even though their surroundings were perfectly quiet.

All his anger melted when he saw the position the other boy was in. "Come on Hattori, let's get out of here-"

He realized the door had shut behind him.

Rushing toward it, he yanked on the handle, but had no success. Then (using his soccer ball) he kicked the one way window, but no avail.

"No-use-flexiglass-"Conan flinched when his friend started coughing again.

"Hey, hey! Hattori!" The boy shook the Osakan teen, but he'd already fainted. Conan shook him rapidly, but froze when he heard a beeping sound beside him, coming from the wall.

'_Bomb.'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN Oh no, Heiji! I end it with a cliffy because I'm evil. Cookies to anyone who can figure out how the floor plan works! **

**The drug didn't kill Heiji right away because…. I'll let Akemi explain later.**

**Review!**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N This is where angst begin. Conan will also be a bit OOC in this.**

**Kakashikrazy256-Don't worry,I get all sadistic when I watch DC too. XD Akemi is an interesting character.I hope she's actually alive in the manga/anime….Kaito? He will have an important role….**

**Ayumi Kudou-I think it's funny how Conan does all those things,and when you ask him how he did it he shrugs and says 'In Hawaii' XD I've never watched either of those, but I might, since they sound interesting. Green smoke; good choice.**

**Takako the Daydreamer: Thank you! I don't like the way Kaito's actions came out though (seemed a bit too rushed, don't you think?). Now that I think about it, Heiji's blood type has never been mentioned…**

**Disclaimer: If I owned DC, Anokata would be Pinky from My Little Pony. **

**Disclaimer2:I don't own MLP either.=P**

Kaito coughed. He'd been counting, and it was the fourth cough in over twenty seconds. There was no way of going back inside the buildings, and no way of even _surviving_ after you went inside. He had overheard some agents saying that the higher ranked members had put a bomb on every floor, and it was set to go off in about ten minutes.

He had stayed behind, but he wasn't alone. The woman he'd seen from the hallway had joined him, saying that she wanted to watch the building of her success go down in smoke.

'_Smoke __and __mirrors.__'_ Kaito thought, as he listened to the deadly silence of the area. He could only hope that tantei-kun was safe, and that he was safely out of harm's way.

"What's your name?" Kaito asked the woman, who turned sadly.

"You're not a member, are you?"

When Kaito stiffened, she smiled sadly. "That's alright. I'm Miyano Akemi. A pleasure to meet you, Kaito Kid."

Recovering from his shock, he bowed slightly. "The pleasure is all mine."

Her head turned to the building once more. "I suppose you won't mind me asking why you're here?"

"I am here to hope." Was his short reply.

She sighed, and passed a letter to him. It felt heavy in his hands. "What's this?"

"My last hopes. Read it. I must go back."

Kaito grabbed her wrist. "No." he said firmly, pulling her back.

"I'm not supposed to be alive anyways. How to you feel about that? I cheated death, using the gem called 'Pandora' and said I survived miraculously." Kaito stared, and she went on. "I tricked my sister into thinking that I was dead, and I might as well have killed her."

"I have stole, murdered, and lied. I have been reborn, and haven't changed a bit. At least let me do this one last thing before I die, the only good thing I will ever do."

Kaito mental face-palmed. She's a poet.

But he didn't loosen his grip. "Pandora? You were reborn with _Pandora?_"

She nodded. "The gem itself… You'll see. But the spirit of Pandora is a different matter. The letter will tell you."

"Wait, so you knew I was coming all along?"

"No. The letter could be passed to anyone, as long as they have a good heart. And you, magician in the moonlight, have that."

But his grip was still firm. "What are you going back for?"

She stared at him directly, her gaze blending with his. "For life."

* * *

><p>The pitch-black darkness seemed better than seeing the little red blinks of the bomb, still counting down steadily. Conan could be able to reach it, if he was the height of Shinichi. And kicking it down was too much of a risk.<p>

"Damn it!" He shouted, and punched the wall with his fist. Ignoring the pain, he looked toward his… Well, you know. Heiji's breathing was almost matching the beeps of the bomb perfectly, though his breaths were getting shorter and harsher. Beads of perspiration trickled down his face, and he was twitching and jerking randomly.

The weird thing was, Heiji's face looked perfectly calm.

Conan saw no way out of this situation.

Out of instinct, he began to talk to the other boy, as if he was still conscious, and he was still his friend.

"You know, when you disappeared, I was so worried. I knew it was you all along, but… I guess some part of me couldn't believe that you, of all people, would lie to me like that. This wouldn't have happened if I'd gathered up the courage to confront you. So, I'm sorry."

"It came as a surprise, you know? You hadn't killed me yet, so I couldn't… You know. Really say that you were working for them. I'm actually surprised you're here. Of course, you wouldn't be in here if you weren't a traitor, so that means they never knew I was Shinichi. So basically, you weren't a traitor at all."

"Now I know why you had such a strong sense of justice. You didn't want me to become like that, right? You wanted to protect me, so I wouldn't become a part of them, like you did…"

There was a pause in his little speech, and Conan thought of what he should say. Slowly, he said,

"Hey… we're still friends, right?"

He called himself absurd, asking himself '_He __can__'__t __even __hear __you, __much __less __answer.__'_

But when he turned his head to his companion, yes, there was the word, he saw the Osakan's eyes green slits in the darkness, but the warm gaze that came from them had more strength than a million suns, and told Conan all he needed.

Miyano Akemi rushed through the empty halls, the beeps of other bombs ringing in her ears.

"_Oneechan, __someday, __we__'__ll __come __back __together, __right?__"_

Turning on the computer, she typed rapidly, clicking so fast that her fingers hurt.

"_I __hope __you __don__'__t __die.__Then __I __wouldn__'__t __get __to __see __you __anymore.__"_

Another life would be taken if she didn't act.

"_We__'__ll __be __linked __together. __Always. __Because __we__'__re __special.__"_

The monitor flashed a warning, but she didn't mind it.

"_Goodbye __oneechan.__"_

The beeping gets faster and faster, until there is a flash, and the whole room is engulfed in light.

* * *

><p>Haibara was sitting in the basement (as usual), still trying to create the antidote. It had been harder than she thought it would be. The professor tried to coax her into getting some sleep, but she was too busy for that.<p>

That is, until the pains came.

It was a light sting at first, so Haibara thought she had pricked a finger on one of the needles. But then, it jabbed at her, making her grit with pain.

'_O__…__Oneechan?__'_

The link hadn't come to her in a long time, ever since the day her sister had died. But now, the invisible thing kept on jabbing and pinching and it hurt her quite a bit.

'_Oneechan!__'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN That was it. I hope you enjoyed. Also, if you spot any mistakes, please PM me. When I uploaded this, fanfiction squished all the words together into one gigantic word. T_T**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N The end is nearing, and I have to say, it was a pleasure working on this story. Thank you to all the people that read this story, and have enjoyed it. Thank you all.**

**Kakashikrazy256: Thank you for catching that mistake. And when I kill off a character, I usually make it really gory…. JK. XD**

**Ayumi Kudou: I agree. Conan doesn't have much, if any flaws in his character. (Akemi doesn't count.) It annoys me a bit. I've never been much of a fan of yuri or shonan-ai, and I can't really write fluffy, lemony scenes that well. =( In fact, I've never come across a yuri fanfic in the whole DC fanfic community. They're not very popular, are they?**

**Takato The Daydreamer: Akemi's appearance was a little sudden, wasn't it? It just came to me in the middle of school, and it seemed like a good place to put her in. I don't know if she likes riddles or not (she hasn't appeared much) so there's not much of her personality known. But that means I get to make it up! :D**

**Disclaimer: *weep***

* * *

><p>To Kaito, it was a miracle that there was a phone booth about two minutes sprinting distance from the building. The police, ambulance, and firefighters were all there, ready.<p>

Kaito watched from above, not wanting to get mixed in with the affairs of the police. A team of men just went in after he'd spotted a flash of light emitting from the run-down building.

Knowing that he couldn't do anything of use, he decided to open the letter Akemi-san had given him.

_Have you heard of rebirth?_

_Is your heart pure?_

_Those are the questions I ask. Since I am neither. I haven't heard of rebirth, neither do I have a pure heart._

_I have betrayed my sister, and have broken my family. This is the story of Pandora._

* * *

><p>Black smoke filled the air. Conan was hanging on to consciousness by a thread, covering both his and Heiji's mouth in order to repel the smoke from their mouths.<p>

"Boy! Are you in there?"

Conan made a sound halfway between a groan and a shout.

"Hey! Over here!"

Through the blurry smoke, he could see the uniforms of the firefighters reaching out to him.

The last thing he saw was the smoke fading away into light mist.

* * *

><p><em>I happened to stumble across Pandora one day, but didn't know what it was. I kept it, since I thought it was beautiful. I was going to give it to my sister.<em>

_I never had the chance._

_I was murdered shortly after on a million yen heist. But I can tell you one thing._

_I never really died._

_Pandora is evil. Just when you are about to die, it brings you back to life again It is unnatural. Even if you are brought back, you want to die. But you can't._

_I kept a low profile during those first few months, but decided to join the Black Org. once more. I created the new APTX pill during the short period I worked for them._

_I was thinking about calling Pandora._

_It has similar properties as the original APTX 4869 (which my sister created. Funny how things work out) and also has a similar shape and color. But also some side effects, in case it doesn't work._

_It disables your vocal chords and causes massive headaches at random periods of time._

_A bit cruel, I know. Dying would be better. But there is only a 1 out of 1000 chance that they would survive, so I wouldn't count on it. Even I do not know why some survive…_

_I think that it is because they have a pure heart. I put some of the gem in the pill, and it probably reacts to the pure heart, making the other atoms unstable._

_I regretted making the pill as soon as the first test ended. So I shall give you the secret to destroying all pills, forever and after._

_Destroy Pandora._

* * *

><p>"Conan-kun! Conan-kun!" Ran was practically sobbing as she cradled the young boy in her hands.<p>

The young boy was pale and covered with soot. His glasses had been taken off so he looked like Shinichi again.

Ran blinked, tears dripping down her face, and turned to Kazuha, who was waiting impatiently. She was twitching, and she kept on looking at the door.

"Kazuha-chan…"

The other girl ignored her completely.

Awhile later, a nurse came out, head dipped low.

Kazuha shot up from her chair. "How is he?"

She didn't say anything, but shook her head instead.

Kazuha slumped back into her seat, drowning herself with her own tears.

* * *

><p><em>Please. Destory Pandora, since all evil will die with it.<em>

_Including me._


	19. The End

**A/N Yeah… I give you guys a longer wait than usual, just when it's the end.**

**But, on the other hand, IT'S THE END!**

**Thank you to all who have been reading/favoriting/reviewing this. THANK YOU SO MUCH! T_T You guys made my day. =)**

**Special thanks to: Ayumi Kudou, Kakashikrazy256, Mareliini, Takato the Daydreamer, and Chelseaj500. *gives all cookies* **

**Ayumi Kudou: Gosho is amazing. I mean, he's able to publish each of those fantastic mangas almost every week. That is amazing.**

**I'm a HeiZuha, HeiShin (as friends), HeiKai (as friends), and MitsuAi fan. And as you can see, I'm not much of a Shonan-Ai fan. I'm also an AiCon fan, but I pretty much almost gave up hope of that happening after the (spoiler) London confession.**

**Takato The Daydreamer: Akemi does cry, I'm pretty sure. She's so mysterious, and she's gone against the BO tons of times, so I can't really say she's evil straight out. **

**I don't know if you can really say 'thanks' for saying the end is here, but you're welcome!**

**Kakashikrazy256: I'm glad you enjoyed it up to this far. ^^ And yes, Akemi did use Pandora to come back from the dead. I don't know, I just had to find a way to put Pandora into this… **

**And as for Heiji… I am sorry. *pat* but he's alive!**

**Mareliini: You liked the rhythm? Yay! ^^ I'm happy you didn't think it was rushed or anything. **

**Joking? Joking about what? *evil smile***

**And now, the end begins. **

**Disclaimer: I shall do a proper disclaimer this final time. I don't own Case Closed/Metantei Conan since they all belong to Gosho-sama.**

* * *

><p>Now, Yukiko supposed it could be worse.<p>

Yes, her boy had a few minor injuries. Yes, the Black Organization hadn't been caught (though some minor members were being tracked down right this moment). And yes, Conan couldn't regain his old body. (Apparently, Ai-chan had stopped the research for unknown reasons.)

But he was alive. That's what matters. He's alive.

Ran was patting Conan's head, scolding the half-conscious boy for going off alone. The police hadn't questioned him yet, but they wouldn't soon, and the truth would be out.

Unless a solution comes falling out of the sky, that is.

"He'll be ready to go out in a few more days."

The inspector was close by, nodding. But he too jumped when hysterical yelling came from the room to the right, followed by some slapping noises.

Yukiko felt a pang of sympathy for Kazuha-chan. Since…

"It's a miracle he's still alive, really."

That was her husband, reading the charts a doctor had passed him. "Look at these poison levels! He should've died…"

"It's better to be dead than in unbearable pain."

The smooth flowing words that came out of Shizuka's mouth masked the pain she was holding. Everyone in the room met her soft eyes for a second before quickly looking away. "So remember, no news, no publicity…"

Yukiko looked at her, and slowly went toward the woman. For a slight moment, she squeezed her hand. "It's okay…"

Shizuka looked away, knowing her words were lies. She had the right to. Hattori-kun…

He was still undergoing further analysis, but by now it was pretty clear he would be mute for the rest of his life. That meant his hopes as a police officer or a private investigator was shattered into pieces and smashed into dust.

"How is he?"

The other looked away. "Extremely agitated. We have convinced him that he will regain his voice soon, but…"

Yukiko knew better. Hattori-kun probably knew that he was mute, but refused to believe it. It must have come as a shock to the teen…

Hattori-kun's voice was really what made Hattori-kun…him. His loud, confident voice encouraged other people to have hope. Without it…

Without realizing it, Yukiko found herself crying.

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night. The wind softly blew in through the windows, scattering flower petals that had been brought in by the Detective Boys. Sighing, he got up and made his way to the hallway.<p>

Wincing a tiny bit with each step, he turned the knob to the room next to his. As suspected, the occupant wasn't sleeping, but instead wide awake, staring out the window.

The moment the door clicked, Heiji's head whipped around, but turned again as he realized it was just Conan.

"Hey."

Heiji glanced at him, shook his head, and turned away again. Conan stood in front of him, meeting his gaze directly.

"Go away."

That was Heiji, lip mouthing. Conan could pick it up fairly quickly though.

"Don't be like that."

The Osakan glared at the boy.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help."

"Help me?"

From the outrage in Heiji's face, Conan could hear those fierce words as if he had actually said them out loud.

"How? If you haven't noticed, I'm _freaking __mute._"

"I've noticed."

"Then you know you can't do anything about it."

"But that doesn't mean that your future-"

"Yes it does! My dreams as a detective, all that hard work is now wasted! And you tell me that-"

He was interrupted by a slap to the face. It wasn't a hard slap, but it shocked him, leaving enough time for Conan to shout at the Osakan.

"Baka! It doesn't mean you're helpless, and it doesn't mean your future is ruined! If anything, it means you'll grow stronger!"

A silence fell upon them, and was only broken when a silent voice broke it.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For betraying you. Lying. Stabbing you in the back."

The words came in tiny movements, so Conan had to watch him carefully to know what he was saying.

"You didn't have a choice."

"But I did! All those years ago, I joined them out of spite, thinking it was just a game! I joined them to prove my father wrong! Look where it got me!"

His mouth was moving so fast now that Conan could barely keep up. "But you still have a reason to live, don't you?"

His words were proven correct when Kazuha burst into the room, and hugged him yelling, "Heiji!"

* * *

><p>Kaito smiled, kicking the remains of the headquarters. It had been three months since it had exploded. All the other members were caught and Kudo Shinichi had 'suddenly' reappeared.<p>

As for Hattori-kun, he had become an expert in defusing bombs and was very helpful to the police. He also followed Shinichi around, offering help to the only person who could communicate with him. (Well, he _could_ always write down what he had to say, but that would be a hassle.)

Kaito came back to visit the grave of Miyano Akemi, who had died for the sake of destroying Pandora but not before spending some time with her sister, Haibara Ai. (Kaito still didn't know how they were related at all, since Ai had chosen to remain a child)

He still remembered that day when Akemi-san had asked him to do a favor…

* * *

><p>(Three months ago)<p>

"Kaito-kun."

He jumped when the unexpected voice came from behind, and quickly turned around. But he relaxed when he saw her face.

"Ah, Akemi-san. Why are you here?"

"Looking for you." In her tender hands, she held what suspiciously looked like a drug case.

"Why?"

Her face hardened. "You must destroy Pandora _now_."

He had known this day was coming, but why him?

"Why me?"

Akemi's face changed to an annoyed expression. "Because you have a pure heart! It won't backfire on you, since it's made from complete pureness. Didn't I explain this before?"

"But… You'll die!"

"Better than having Pandora fall into the wrong hands."

It was almost a scene from one of those movies; where the hero has to sacrifice for the greater good.

"What about your sister?"

"She knows the consequences, and has agreed."

_Probably __not __willingly._Kaito thought to himself. But even so, he could see no way out of this.

"What do I do?"

She held out a silver box and opened it. It contained many gold and white pills. "These are the only remaining pills. If you destroy all of them, the pieces of Pandora inside will die, causing the fragment inside me to die as well, since it has no backup power. Then…"

"Pandora will be destroyed forever." Kaito finished.

"Exactly."

He looked up at her, and she smiled warmly. "I don't mind dying Kaito-kun. Humans cannot escape death forever, and my time is long overdue."

"…"

With a flash of silver, he forcefully brought down the box, making all the pills inside drop to the hard, gravel ground beneath. Bending down, he took out small needles (they were plain needles that were going to be used for who-knows-what) and expertly stabbed them into each of the drugs, never missing a mark.

They glowed with a bright aura, causing Kaito to squint. As their light faded, he heard a muffled thump; signaling that a life was over.

Kaito took out a rose from nowhere, and placed it gently on her stomach. He closed her eyes, and put her hands out beside her.

* * *

><p>The sunlight shone on her gravestone and reflected off the metal plate, causing a flower-shaped shadow to appear where her forehead would've been.<p>

"_Pandora… A heart filled with hope…_

_Sayonara."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN I hope you enjoyed this story. Expect a new DC story to be up soon! (Look at profile for details, under soon to be stories.)**

**Thank you all for reading. **

_**THE END**_


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